Academy Journal, Fall 2012 by Lawrence Academy

The Academy Journal Lawrence Academy/Fall 2012

IN THIS EDITION COMMENCEMENT 28 – 32 REUNION WEEKEND 35 – 39 ANNUAL REPORT 52 – 69

First Word by Dan Scheibe, Head of School

These truly “First Words” gravitate around the following particular and powerful forces: the beginning of the school year, the beginning of another chapter in Lawrence Academy’s rich history, and (obviously) the beginning of my tenure as head of school. I draw both strength and conviction from the energies associated with such beginnings. The auspicious nature of the moment makes it impossible to resist some enthusiastic introductory contemplations.

The best moments in my life in schools (and perhaps of life in general) have contained a particular manner of energy. As I scan my past, certain images and sensations light up the sensors with an unusual intensity. I remember a day during my junior year in high school when I was returning to my room after class on a bright but otherwise unspectacular day in the fall. The post-lunch glucose plunge was looming, but still, I acutely remember an unusual bounce in my stride as I approached my room on “The Plateau” (a grandiose name for the attic above the theater where they housed a small collection of altitude-tolerant boarders). The distinct physical sensations of lightness were accompanied by emotional sensations of delight not usually associated with

Trustees of Lawrence Academy

Trustees with 25 or More Years of Service

Bruce M. MacNeil ’70, President Lucy C. Abisalih ’76, Vice President Geoffrey P. Clear, Treasurer Gordon Sewall ’67, Secretary

1793–1827 1793–1820 1793–1825 1794–1827 1795–1823 1801–1830 1805–1835 1807–1836 1811–1839 1825–1854 1830–1866 1831–1860 1831–1867 1835–1884 1849–1883 1863–1896 1865–1893 1866–1918 1868–1896 1871–1930 1875–1922 1876–1914 1890–1933 1894–1946 1899–1930 1899–1929 1900–1930 1907–1955 1933–1961 1941–1975 1951–1976 1972–2000 1973– 1974– 1974– 1975– 1977–2003 1978–2003 1978– 1980– 1984–

Jay R. Ackerman ’85 Kevin A. Anderson ’82 Ronald M. Ansin Timothy M. Armstrong ’89 Deborah Barnes James E. Barnes ’69 Robert M. Barsamian ’78 Barbara Anderson Brammer ’75 Jennifer Shapiro Chisholm ’82 Ann N. Conway Patrick Cunningham ’91 Judi Martin Cyr ’82 Greta L. Donahue Charlotte M. Floyd Gregory Foster Catherine Frissora Bradford Hobbs ’82 Jonathan D. Jodka ’79 Audrey McNiff ’76 Peter C. Myette Harold W. Potter Jr., Esq. David M. Stone ’76 Ruth Glazer White ’76 Benjamin D. Williams III

Honorary Trustees Arthur F. Blackman George A. Chamberlain III Jeanne L. Crocker Henry S. Russell Jr. Albert Stone Robert White ’40

Rev. Daniel Chaplin (34) Rev. Phineas Whitney (27) Rev. John Bullard (32) Samuel Lawrence (33) James Brazer (28) Rev. David Palmer (29) Jonas Parker (30) Caleb Butler (29) Luther Lawrence (28) Rev. George Fisher (29) Jonathan S. Adams (36) Nehemiah Cutter (29) Joshua Green (36) Rev. Leonard Luce (49) Agijah Edwin Hildreth (34) William Adams Richardson (33) Amasa Norcross (28) Samuel A. Green (52) Miles Spaulding (28) Rev. William J. Batt (59) George Samuel Gates (47) James Lawrence (38) George Augustus Sanderson (43) Michael Sheedy (52) Albert E. Pillsbury (31) Frank L. Blood (30) Elihu Goodman Loomis (30) Huntley Nowell Spaulding (48) Oswald Tower (28) John Cushman (34) Donald A. Martin (25) Dr. James Dykens (28) Robert White (current honorary) (39) Henry S. Russell Jr. (current honorary) (38) Arthur Blackman (current honorary) (38) Jeanne L. Crocker (current honorary) (37) Charles F. Kaye (26) George Chamberlain III (25) Albert Stone (current honorary) (34) Ronald. M. Ansin (32) Bruce MacNeil ’70 (28)

Editors and Contributors Dave Casanave, Director of Communications Joseph Sheppard, College Counselor Beverly Rodrigues, Communications Publicist

Layout/Design Dale Cunningham, Assist. Director of Communications

Photography Dave Casanave, Director of Communications Beverly Rodrigues, Communications Publicist Jon Chase Tim Morse

Editorial Council Robinson C. Moore, Assistant Head of School Sandra Sweeney Gallo ’75, Director of Alumni Relations Amanda Doyle-Bouvier ’98, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations Susan Hughes, Assistant to the Head of School Hellie Swartwood, Director of Parent Programs and Special Events Beverly Rodrigues, Communications Publicist Chris Margraf, Interim Director of Development Geoff Harlan, Director of Annual Giving Joseph Sheppard, College Counselor

Cover: New Head of School Dan Scheibe and his wife Annie Montesano ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

First Word, continued

As I have pondered these admittedly personal experiences, the specific setting and circumstances of Lawrence Academy have ever been on my mind. LA exists so that its students can experience authentic moments of transformation that will not just influence a moment, but change a life: it “inspires you to take responsibility for who you want to become.” What task could be so inspiring, so essential, so real, and so crucial? The blend of practicality and idealism in the mission is true to my own experience of growing up, and I believe it is true of the education LA delivers: placing students in direct relationship with their education and thus with themselves and their surroundings. Whether we focus on skills, interdisciplinary synergies, creative expression, technological leverage, socialemotional development, or any other educational idiom, what we are after is direct, unmediated, life-changing experience. Only experience itself, deeply intentional and engaged, can deliver such powerful effects.

the adolescent male demeanor. Perhaps the hour and the altitude were, in fact, getting to me.

Yet, my unaccountable exhilaration was neither the result of a surplus of accomplishment or certain physiological deficits. Rather, it was the outward sign of a steady and secure process. I had gone to my local high school through 10th grade, and after a blessed repeat of 10th, I was just starting to realize and exercise my potential as a student and as a person. The symptoms of the personal “LA exists so that its transformation underway were both this students can experience incongruous joy and the unusual lift in my authentic moments stride (and this in the days before the enhancements of Nike Air technology). of transformation Of course, I had felt moments of power and that will not just purpose before in my life at home, at school, influence a moment, and on athletic fields, but this particular state of levitation felt renewable, sustainable, and but change a life.” most importantly, fully integrated and identifiable as a certain part of my growing An education geared towards transformation self. I knew I wanted to continue on that path of transformation needs to understand both its goods and its goals. In The and almost literal enlightenment. Varieties of Religious Experience, the great American psychologist Now, lest you think me deluded that I was granted superhuman William James writes, “Knowledge about a thing is not the physical or metaphysical abilities as a 16-year-old, I want to thing itself.” Lawrence Academy seeks to place “the thing assure you that I am speaking (mostly) metaphorically. I itself”—the growing, transformed self—squarely in the path possessed the same emotional, intellectual, social and physical of each of its students. It does so by forging educational clumsiness as the average junior boy—OK, I actually should experience as life itself. Only such a personal, powerful have been a senior boy at that point, so my slow path to connection can turn an educational event into an emotional maturity was particularly…let’s say “deliberate.” The fact event into a life-changing event. James concludes, “Knowledge remains, though, that my truest experiences of maturation and about life is one thing; effective occupation of a place in life, growth ever since have returned to that signature mix of with its dynamic currents passing through your being, is another.” expansion, strength, and joy I felt with increasing sureness in Educational innovations and trends are powerful levers of my late teenage years. The sensations, vague and insubstantial as change. Academic content is an important cultural inheritance. they might seem, clearly signaled a growing sense of confidence But the dynamic current that gives energy to understand, to act, and clarity about who I was and who I was becoming. and to live is the powerful source of all that we learn, all that we Good for me, but what might that have to do with starting to do, and all that we are. Lawrence Academy is dedicated to lead Lawrence Academy as a grown-up? Well, quite a lot, I bringing that current to life in all of the members of its hope to explain. As a young teacher, I had similar energetic community—students, faculty, alumni, staff, family, and experiences—classes in which the excitement I was feeling friends. We will do our best to be a beacon of such hope and simply could not be accounted for by my faltering attempts to such energy not just in the beginning of things, but always. apprehend the passive voice or to grapple with a Dickinson I leave you, for now, with a quotation for your own musings, a poem. Again, as I became responsible for various programs at quotation I read to the faculty and staff at the beginning of schools, I would experience this same feeling over and over as beginnings in school life: the opening faculty meetings in late I saw entire communities experience moments of clarity and August. Such beginnings may, indeed, be humble. But they may transcendence—moments of equal parts focus and force. And well and truly end up graced with power and significance even as a school leader, I strive to experience these moments, beyond our initial imaginings: now accompanied not just with the simple joy of satisfied youth “The really important kind of freedom involves attention and but even sometimes with tears of joy, grateful now to be able to awareness and discipline, and being able to truly care about witness the beautiful moments signaling the process of young other people. That is real freedom. That is being educated.” lives in the midst of transformation and realization. – David Foster Wallace

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heading

table of contents meet the Scheibes

3-5

features

6-28

Reflections of a Rookie Special Educator

The Flipped Classroom — A Student-Centered State of Mind

The “Weird Kid” Leaves ’em Laughing!

Holding Up the Mirror: Lawrence Academy’s 2012 NEASC Reaccreditation

Thanks to Our “Bridge to Success” Donors!

around LA

21-28

The Arts at LA

Cum Laude 2012

“I Learned it Better This Way!”

LA at a Glance

Learning in the Outdoors

The Spartan Report

A Sense of Learning

2012 Commencement

Nooks and Crannies Exposed

alumni

Dana B. Westberg ’72 Teaching Different Learners

Gatherings

Reunion Weekend

Classnotes

In Memoriam

making news

16-20

Moving In

Moving On and Around

Auction Celebrates The Art of Teaching

annual giving report

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33-50

52-69

meet the Scheibes

Park House Perspectives

Dan Scheibe and Annie Montesano in Park House with their children Hans, Peter, Lilly, and Tad

by Beverly Rodrigues, Communications Publicist

them in their activities and treated them as younger brothers. For them, as Dan puts it, “life was an ongoing basketball game from September to June. They haven’t been in enough communities to know that the game is going to restart with this new team called the Spartans.”

After moving into Park House on July 1, new Head of School Dan Scheibe, his wife Annie Montesano, and their four children were still getting settled and acclimated. When asked how it is going, Dan refers to a “net good feeling” and says that’s an amazing thing when you consider that his family ranges from 6-year-old Hans to 8-year-old Peter to 11-year-old Tad to 15-year-old Lilly, and “nothing is guaranteed across the board!”

Of this first moving-in step in their new adventure, Dan says: “It’s not really fair to speak on behalf of non-consenting minors, but we’re in this as a family, top to bottom, so the opportunity to take up residence at Park House is a thrill. I think we’re equipped to fill up that space, both literally and metaphorically.”

While Lawrence Academy is new to them as a family, life at a boarding school is not. The Scheibes have been at Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts, since their first child, Lilly, was 20 months old. Lilly, who is now entering her sophomore year as a boarding student at St. George’s School, is happily claiming her spacious bedroom at Park House. The family artist, Tad, opted for a room located in a remote corner of the house, where he is already setting up a small adjacent room as an art studio. Word has it that he’d also like to raise chickens. Hans and Peter, who previously enjoyed sharing a bedroom, are adjusting to the possibilities presented by having their own separate rooms. Another thing the two youngest boys shared was an involvement with students at Middlesex, who welcomed

The Scheibes try to make the most of any time that they have off, and for now they like the routines with both sides of their family. One involves an annual visit to Cape Cod, where everyone gets involved in an Audubon Society rescue project relocating little terrapins from unsafe nesting locations. “People sort of start out as naturalists anyway, so we indulge that,” Dan says, “plus it’s a good summer project and the kids can get their hands dirty helping.” Hunkering down at a cottage on Lake Erie with Annie’s family—the five sisters have fifteen youngsters between them—in Canada, just over the boarder from Buffalo, is another time-honored practice.

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meet the Scheibes Partnership While Dan and Annie share a passion for education, he notes that some clear decisions were made as they began their total immersion into the boarding school world years ago. “One of the things that has made it work is that Annie has had a personal, professional, intellectual life outside of the community. I have utter respect for those couples who have been the life’s blood of the school for years and years and years; but I also have a lot of respect for those people who are deeply committed to the school, and yet there’s also a so-called ‘life outside the school’ in whatever form that takes.” Dan reminisces about his four-year taste of life outside of school, when he ran a vineyard and winery in New Jersey while making his way through divinity school. He admired the owners for undertaking the ambitious retirement project of starting a vineyard and appreciated their numerous and diverse life experiences, all heartily embraced.

About Annie Dan met Annie Montesano when they were both teaching at Blair Academy in New Jersey in the early 1990s. The second youngest of five sisters, Annie grew up in Buffalo, New York, in a close-knit family that was deeply connected to the community. Like Dan, she had enrolled at boarding school as a 10th-grader, attending St. Andrew’s School in Delaware, where her older sister was a teacher. Dan recalls a moment early in his relationship with Annie when they visited with her elder sister’s young family on the St. Andrew’s campus. He refers to the comfortable family element that surrounded him and a prophetic moment that he experienced: “The little five-year-old took my hand walking across campus, and that was sort of like a marriage vow right there.”

Hans, Peter, Lilly, and Tad

Annie earned a degree in English from Hamilton College and taught English and coached at Blair. When she and Dan left the school in 1994, she retired from the classroom but continued to work in the field of education. She worked as a consultant, began a family, and created a connection with the Parker School at nearby Devens that has spanned more than 15 years. A pioneer in the world of public charter schools, the Parker School functioned under the leadership of nationally acclaimed educator Ted Sizer for several years. Annie worked in the Teachers’ Center at the school, a place that Dan says was “like Sizer’s dream, where the coffeepot was always on so teachers from everywhere could gather round and share his practices.” Annie also helped Parker with fundraising and grant proposals. After taking some time off to tend to her family, she returned to the school six years ago to serve as a trustee, a position that she has now relinquished while she once again sets her priorities on getting family settled.

authentically progressive public charter kind of environment. I have to say that I’m getting a lot of energy and faith in [my work ahead] indirectly through her.” Ted Sizer and his wife Nancy, a deeply committed educator in her own right, were inspirational examples. “Ultimately,” Dan says, “that’s what brought Annie and me together, this emotional family element. And I think what attracts us to these schools is that feeling that really decent, good, kind people are a part of them. And Ted Sizer was the most decent, the most kind, and among the wisest people I’ve ever known.”

Spirituality and Ethics One of Dan’s daunting goals is to get to know everyone at LA personally. He immediately welcomed staff and faculty members to one-on-one meetings to share their thoughts with him before the pace of the coming school year picks up.

Dan is clearly invigorated by his wife’s experiences: “While I’ve been working in a fairly traditional and residential school environment, she’s been working in one that is a very

“At this point, I’ve talked to maybe 20 faculty members [the number is now in the 50s] who have come in for these

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authentic personal experience that’s going to change you as a person.” He recognizes that he embarks on his own hands-on learning session as Lawrence Academy’s new head of school. In that role, he truly looks forward to the challenge of administering the achievement of the school’s mission to help young people become themselves. He is especially pleased to be undertaking that challenge surrounded by family members who are also, each in their own way, eager to see what new experiences will come.

informal hellos, and everybody speaks from a deep place within themselves and with great passion about why they are here,” Dan says. “People have stayed connected to this place for significant periods of time, and their loyalty and their passion is obvious—it’s deep and it’s strong.” This energy feeds Dan’s commitment to spiritual and ethical well-being. He says, “The spiritual part just has to do with thinking about what it is that connects you to this work and what makes you feel for it emotionally, what makes you care so much about what you do. And I think that’s so appropriate for the high school setting where young people are trying to figure out what they care about, why they feel so strongly about things and what they’re going to invest themselves in, what they believe in. The ethical piece has to do with a certain level of dignity for every person.”

Dan Scheibe Bio Just before arriving at Lawrence Academy, Dan was the Assistant Head of School at Middlesex School in Concord, MA, a position he held since 2006. Dan began his work in schools in a one-year intern position teaching English at Jakarta International School in Indonesia. Following that year, Dan joined the faculty as a class dean at Blair Academy where he created and taught the English curriculum for international students, served as a dorm head and coached soccer, squash and baseball. At Middlesex since 1998, Dan ran a dorm, coached squash, taught English and history, and was responsible for the school’s chapel program where the community gathered once a week for events and speakers. Dan spent his secondary schooling years at Taft, did his undergraduate work in Literature at Yale, and obtained a Masters of Divinity from Princeton’s Theological Seminary and a Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University. In addition to his work in schools, during his four years at Princeton, Dan served as the General Manager for a 30-acre vineyard—managing all the sales and marketing as well as the farming and winemaking.

Moving Forward Dan and Annie have sent their own daughter off to boarding school, and they are acutely aware, he says, “of the level of trust that people put in these schools.” He translates that into high expectations for Lawrence Academy, and is exhilarated by the energy that he feels when people talk about past periods of growth and innovative programs and by the enthusiastic discussion about possibilities for the future. “It has become totally clear to me that Lawrence has an opportunity to deliver an educational experience that is completely unique in the ISL and boarding school world, not just New England, but nationally. It is poised to do some progressive, innovative educational programs, unique to itself and unique in its milieu.” The practice of experiential learning is especially meaningful to Dan and perhaps significantly at this point in time. “For me,” he says, “experiential education is the idea of having an

Hans and Peter making good use of the Park House lawn

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

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“Understand, Act, Live” In Head of School Dan Scheibe’s “First Word” (p. 1), Mr. Scheibe referenced the adolescent growth and transformation that takes place during the high school years, pointing out that “a personal, powerful connection can turn an educational event into an emotional event into a life-changing event.” There has long been vigorous debate among academics about how to create that powerful connection. To be sure, there is no one, right way. Organizations like the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Council for the Advancement of Secondary Education (CASE), and the National Education Association (NEA) continuously study and research the latest educational trends and report on various methods for helping teachers and institutions become better educators.

These organizations and others have most recently cited educational trends such as an increased focus on collaborative learning; the importance of visual learning; the need to integrate interactive devices as learning tools (a.k.a. hybrid learning); an increased focus on critical thinking and problem solving as opposed to information memorization; and a growing trend to experiential learning, with a specific focus on outdoor education. Much of what happens at LA on a regular basis reflects these trends. The following articles and profiles demonstrate both the commitment by LA faculty to teach in substantial, meaningful ways and the impact their efforts have on the lives of their students.

“Educational innovations and trends are powerful levers of change. Academic content is an important cultural inheritance. But the dynamic current that gives energy to understand, to act, and to live is the powerful source of all that we learn, all that we do, and all that we are. Lawrence Academy is dedicated to bringing that current and that energy to life continually in all of the members of its community—students, faculty, alumni, staff, family and friends.” – Dan Scheibe, Head of School

Reflections of a Rookie Special Educator by Carol Bolger Esposito ’75

In 2009, after nearly three decades of practicing family law, I made a midlife career change and started along the path of becoming a special education teacher. I enrolled in the Master of Education Program at Gordon College. My naïve vision of graduate school was modeled on my college studies at Bowdoin College, sitting in lecture halls, soaking up the wisdom set forth by my learned professors. I believed that graduate school would be more of the same. Enter “collaborative learning.” I was totally unprepared for the moment when my first professor walked into the classroom and declared: “OK, let’s go, get up and break into work groups, you folks are teaching this class.” Whatever happened to passively listening to the professor and spitting back facts? Over

three years, I learned more about myself, my students, and special education than I ever would have in the traditional “sage on the stage” classroom.

In a 1974 shot, girls’ soccer teammates watch the cross country team cross the finish line. L–R: Carol Bolger Esposito ’75, Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75, director of alumni relations, Meg Jones Meeker ’75, and Tom Warner ’75

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As a student at LA from 1972 to 1975, I was aware that ours was not the traditional New England prep school. I knew that LA offered non-traditional and innovative educational programs for learning. Our teachers taught us that students must take risks, share ideas, respect the differences between one another, and that through that essential collaboration, we all benefit by becoming lifelong learners. Under the leadership of Headmaster Ben Williams and the inspired guidance of revered faculty members Vincent Skinner, David Smith, John Curran, Joe Sheppard, and many others, Lawrence Academy pioneered this new form of learning. Our faculty did so not only through such formally established programs as Winterim and LA II (which still exist today), but also in their classrooms on a daily basis. Now, some 40 years and many

Reflections of a Rookie Special Educator, continued education courses later, I am able to put a name on the innovative pedagogy unfolding at LA during that time: collaborative learning. Last fall, as a new tutor in the life skills classroom at Georgetown High School, I had the opportunity to put collaborative learning into practice. Along with my fifteen “learning-disabled” students, I endeavored to create a collaborative learning community committed to the premise that we are all active learners who care about one another’s well-being, as well as one another’s learning. Implicit in this care ethic was the idea that we all mutually respected one another’s personalities, ideas, opinions, and learning challenges. We checked our egos at the door. We laughed a lot! The kids called me “Ms. Espo.” They established the class rules: “No put-downs” and “No judging.” We earned one another’s respect. In essence, we had each other’s backs. Our room was diverse. We had a wide range of ages (14–19) and learning abilities. We had students on the autism spectrum, brilliant in math and science but challenged with social interaction. Others had emotional challenges or behavioral issues. Even others did well socially but struggled with basic reading and writing. One thing all of the students had in common was a history of doing “poorly” within traditional education. Our classroom goal was to create a culture of collaboration and mutual acceptance in such a way that we all learned to our greatest potential. We became a “school family.” We rolled up our sleeves. Each person pulled their weight, owned their successes and failures, and worked for the benefit of the whole. Several students were on free lunch and came to school hungry. I bought a fridge and a microwave. We kept cereal and milk for breakfast and cold cuts and bread for lunch. Friday was pizza day. We collaborated on everything from meals to chemistry lab reports. Together, we learned about ecology, exponents, and Bismarck, deconstructed Beowulf, mastered Fibonacci’s sequence, and produced

Begin Your Own Business One Winterim course offered this year—conceived of by ESL teacher Andrew Brescia and taught by Ken Parker, an entrepreneur and part-time professor at Boston-area colleges —focused on helping students develop a business plan. “The idea was to help these students understand what it takes to start and successfully operate their Colin Igoe works with students in his “Begin Your Own own businesses,” said English Business” class. teacher Colin Igoe, who also assisted with the course. “We explored the three dimensions of any business— finance, marketing, and operations. And we also produced and presented a threeminute sales pitch and learned how to write a business plan.” The students had the opportunity to pick the brain of Ray DiNizo via Skype during one of their classes. DiNizo is one of the cofounders of theideastartup.com, a company he and a friend started in college that is geared toward helping students write business plans they could show to a “bank or investor and actually use to secure funding for their idea.” LA students appreciated the opportunity to hear from DiNizo. As senior Mei Mei Siu put it: “being able to hear from a current, successful and young entrepreneur was extremely beneficial…Mr. DiNizo was able to relate to all students in the room, and he was easy to listen to.”

fabulous history projects. Our senior math “savant” taught sophomores algebra. Sophomores who struggled with reading but were “cool” kids helped our senior negotiate the social minefields of the hallways. Kids learned to trust one another and themselves. Those who had never passed math tests now passed math tests. Non-writers could write essays about their experiences. Our shy senior went to prom and had a ball. Our non-verbal freshman cracked jokes. Our developmentally delayed junior exhibited his block prints and won the school art award. My favorite story is about our recidivist sophomore who had never passed a math test. One day, he ran in exclaiming, “Ms. Espo, I passed….my first time passing any test…I got an 80!” We fist bumped, and he ran back to class. What did I learn? I learned that collaborative learning is more than collaborative academics. It is breaking

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down barriers, caring, connecting, listening, communicating, cooperating, and trusting that if we all work hard together and care about one another’s learning, learning happens. I also learned that I made the right decision.

John Curran (P ’07) and Carol Bolger Esposito ’75 catch up at Reunion Weekend

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The Flipped Classroom — A Student-Centered State of Mind I might create a screencast (the “flip”) that gives information to the students, such as the definition of the “angles of elevation and depression.” In class (the “apply”), the students use this information to discover how to use it in a real world setting. Sometimes the screencast might be a straightforward description of some mathematical concept and associated problems that they need to practice in class the next day. A second approach is often called the “apply-flip” approach, where I have students working in groups at their seats or on white boards or somewhere on campus collaborating to discover a mathematical concept (the “apply”). Then for homework that night, I assign a screencast (the “flip”) summarizing what the students discovered in class.

by Mark Burkholz, Director of Technology, Mathematics

I have flipped out! That is, I have flipped out about the flipped classroom. If you haven’t heard about the flipped classroom, you will. As the Director of Technology at Lawrence Academy for 21 years and as a math teacher for 40 years, I have always been interested in the integration of technology in education. This past year, I taught Math 3, and I wanted to carve out time in class to create more student-centered activities. Sometime in October, after reading about the flipped classroom, I decided to “flip my class” to implement such an approach.

What is the flipped classroom? The definition Mark Burkholz is wired to make the most of the technology that makes of the flipped classroom is an approach where innovative approaches to teaching lectures are posted as videos (called “screencasts”) material possible. Creating a flipped environment in a classroom is for students to watch online for homework, and time-intensive and requires the commitment and the usual homework is done in class. This is a flipping of the way support of colleagues and the department chair. During the 2011 a traditional classroom is run. This simplistic definition does not winter term, a few math department teachers assisted me in do justice to how approach can dramatically change the way creating screencasts, and this summer all of the members of the students learn. By creating screencasts of my traditional lectures math department, thanks to the support of Krista Collins, the (5-10 minutes in length) and uploading them to YouTube to be math department chair, are developing screencasts. Links to these watched as homework assignments, I was able to free up enough screencasts will be embedded in the online textbook that the math class time to create a more collaborative environment. department has been writing and editing for the past two years How do I manage my class using the flipped classroom (itself a dynamic and creative project). approach to teaching? I now have the time to give the students The bottom line is that the flipped approach to teaching has in-class assignments that were designed to help them discover enabled me to find the class time to create a collaborative, patterns, algorithms, and concepts in collaboration with their student-centered learning environment. My role as a teacher has fellow students. Instead of being the teacher “feeding” information changed to one as a facilitator who assists students to take to the students (the “sage on the stage”), my goal was to guide responsibility for their own learning. Students become more them to discover much of the information for themselves with my actively engaged, and I, as the teacher, have much more individual role being the facilitator (“the guide on the side”). I divided the contact with my students. I, as well as my students, now truly class into groups of three students who were expected to collaborate have a student-centered state of mind. on these assignments. The students might do research, create, discover, do experiential exercises, debate, or do some form of lab Advantages to Flipping Out work with members of their group. I wander from group to group • Increased 1:1 contact between students and their teacher. I have more time to guiding them if they need the help or assessing their understanding talk with individual students, assist them, answer their questions, and assess of the work. This perhaps is one of the biggest benefits I have their understanding of the material. found as a result of implementing the flipped approach; every day, • More collaborative learning, which raises the energy level in the room and I speak to each student individually. In a traditional classroom gives students time to practice the collaborative skills that they will need in setting, this kind of interaction is rare. the workplace. • Exposure to a discovery-based, open-ended experiential learning environment.

The bottom line is that the students now have the time to immerse themselves in a dynamic learning environment where they are expected to take responsibility for their learning instead of the teacher funneling information to them.

• Increased student engagement in the learning process and development of learning skills that will empower students once they leave school. • Increased control over how and when lectures are viewed. Students watch screencasts on YouTube (a medium with which they are very comfortable), pause them, rewind them, and even watch them multiple times from their computer, smartphone, or from any other Internet-enabled device, at their convenience.

How do I implement the flipped classroom? I usually take one of two approaches. One approach is called the “flip-apply” approach.

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The “Weird Kid” Leaves ’em Laughing! For his work last year, Jared assembled a troupe of actors who worked together on close to a dozen films, honing their acting skills and becoming a true ensemble in the process. For the “really big projects” like “Dawson,” he would write a full script and follow it strictly. “But there were other projects,” he explains, “where I gave my small crew a setup and let them explore. I wanted to be an observer and let the project unfold on its own.” In one film, about a board of directors trying to come up with ideas for movies, Jared, playing the boss, suggests a silent movie, which he then illustrates for them, showing a hilarious short film-withina-film complete with villain and high-speed chase. Jared had written down only that he wanted “someone to get robbed, then a dramatic chase scene.” He says, “I told Jason [Karos ’14] to disguise himself at one point, so he put a finger over his lip as a fake mustache.”

by Joseph Sheppard, College Counselor

Jared Acquaviva ’12 loves the movies. “I was a weird child,” he smiles, “because when I watched a movie, I wouldn’t just watch a movie. I’d watch the way it was shot and then learn from it... When I was a kid I fiddled around with claymation and stop motion. [I joined the IIP] because I felt it was time to get a leg up on college—to prepare myself, jumping into what I wanted to do in life earlier.” The Independent Immersion Program (IIP, formerly known as LAII) was just what the doctor ordered for this multifaceted young man from neighboring Carlisle. Jared, who is also a talented musician, applied to the program to “learn about [himself ] as a filmmaker and a musician and about the craft...to get a head start on [his] film and music career.” Though most IIP students enroll in a couple of Jared Acquaviva ’12 regular classes—Jared took Senior English Seminar and A.P. Music Theory “to learn what builds music”—the bulk of their learning is accomplished by doing. (The buzzword is “experiential.”) Since childhood, Jared has turned his remarkably observant eye to every film he has watched, remembering particular shots, directing techniques, and even mistakes in, for example, continuity, and transforming all these memories into tools to be used in his own films. He had no outside teacher for cinematography this year; it was “kind of a self-taught thing,” as he puts it.

Throughout the year, Jared found time to hone his musical skills by practicing the piano, studying keyboard harmony to learn to play by ear the music of the 1920s that he has come to love, and even starting a barbershop quartet. The spring-term calendar crunch stymied their efforts at a first public performance, but the group will continue this fall with a couple of new members. When asked how he thought his year in the IIP had gone and whether it had turned out as he had hoped, he replies, “Yes, it’s what I wanted to do. I accomplished everything I set out to do. The goal wasn’t to end up the year with a certain amount of experience or knowledge; I just wanted to start my film and music career earlier, to get a head start, and to document all my videos and all the music I’ve been able to play and learn this year.”

If you look up Jared’s work on YouTube, your efforts will be rewarded with a small library of films that are not only superbly shot but infused with Jared’s omnipresent sense of humor. He has a wonderful sense of comic timing, both visual and verbal, that comes not only from watching all the great film comics, but also from get-togethers with his big Italian family, where things get “loud and pretty silly.” “Dawson’s Bad Side,” filled with sight gags and great cameo roles, is the chronicle of an imagined “day from hell” in the life of Jared’s faculty advisor, Zach Dawson.

Citing Clint Eastwood as “one of [his] inspirations,” Jared would “really like to do both acting and directing” in his lifetime. Now in his freshman year at Ringling College of Art and Design, the “weird child” is in his element, and it won’t be long before we see his name in lights.

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

feature

“I Learned it Better This Way!” by Joseph Sheppard, College Counselor

site description and answered questions like, ‘Did the salt marsh or the dunes come first?’ Then we did a big species count.” More than once in the interview he said, “I learned it better this way!”

Marc Foster ’13 spent the last half of his junior year at the Chewonki Semester School in Wiscasset, Maine, returning in time to see his brother Sean ’12 graduate. When we met to talk about his time at Chewonki, it was clear that the experience had affected him deeply. He came away with affection and respect for the school and its purpose that, like the many friends he made there, will stay with him for life. Experiential learning is the name of the game at Chewonki. By living and studying with only 40 classmates per term, students pursue a rigorous, well-rounded curriculum oriented toward the sciences and based, to a considerable extent, on fieldwork. For example, in Marc’s major experiential class, “Natural History of the Maine Coast,” the group took weekly four-hour field trips to nearby beaches, streams, and places on Chewonki Neck. The field study, Marc said, was exacting: students kept a field journal containing a site description of the place, notes on its appearance and how it was formed, and a species count for the day. Each student drew a diagram of the place and wrote down key identifiers of trees and plants (e.g. the number of needles on a pine tree). They logged every species of living creature; Marc said that he had identified between 40 and 50 species by the end of the semester.

In addition to traditional English and French classes, Marc took an advanced math course. Even the math instruction at Chewonki, he explained, was highly individualized because the students, although the same age, were at different places in their math preparation. All the math classes, however, shared the collaborative, experiential learning style that Marc enjoyed in his science course. He recalled, for example, riding in a car with the teacher while monitoring rates of acceleration and the like. On Monday mornings, time was set aside for a regular “farm talk” with the head farmer at the school-run farm that supplies some of their food. They learned about agriculture and industrial farming, and then split into groups to visit the farm and learn about the animals. Marc recalled one special day when they went on a logging and forestry trip, where they helped with horse-powered logging and observed a sawmill at work—something few, if any, of the students had ever seen. “Everyone is [at Chewonki] because they want to be there,” Marc reflected last summer. “Everyone is really interested in the subjects. If I had learned by myself, if I hadn’t been with all the people, I wouldn’t have learned as much.” Whether there was something in that pure Maine air, or whether the close contact with nature affected the group, they will never know. But whatever the reason, they all voluntarily gave up their computers for the last ten days of the semester. “It was nice,” Marc recalled. “We sat in the lounge, talked, played the guitar, and sang.”

Marc Foster ’13

Even the tests and quizzes in the course were hands-on, though there was a traditional sit-down midterm exam. For weekly quizzes, the class went on a walk. They were asked to identify a tree, a bird, or an insect, and had to recognize the birdcalls they heard. “The final exam was fun,” Marc recalled. “There was some ‘sit-down,’ but then we went to Reed State Park. We went to different stations in the park in small groups. Each group did a

Marc with LA friends on Mountain Day, L–R: Maddy Caron ’12, Carolyn Marcantonio ’13, Marc Foster ’13, Julie Tyson ’12, Alex Thornton ’12, and Patrick Burns ’13

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Learning in the Outdoors by Scott Johnson, Mathematics

Scott Johnson (P ’88, ’02)

Students also must look up, check out the landmarks, and keep track of where the path leads much farther down the trail. Finally, students have to pay attention to how they are doing individually as well as where the rest of the group is. Inevitably, there are those who want to get to the top of the mountain first, but the real success is when the entire group has made it.

There is something healing about being in the outdoors. You have a chance to get away from man-made noises and distractions and can just take in the sights, sounds, and feel of your natural surroundings. Outside, there are no virtual birds, angry or not, and if you turn off your cell phone and step away from the group, there is the opportunity for solitude.

We are also fortunate to have good water and waterways in Groton. The outdoors program offers the students opportunities to learn flat-water paddling skills in a number of ponds and beautiful stretches along the Nashua, Nissitissit, and Squannacook Rivers. For someone who has never paddled before, learning to balance in a canoe, get it to move in a straight line, and trust that it will keep you afloat can all be challenging. Although there is limited white water in the area, we try to include a white water weekend in the program each spring. This gives our experienced paddlers a chance to stretch and learn new skills.

The Outdoors Program at Lawrence Academy takes students out in three primary activities: biking, hiking, and paddling. The terrain in Groton presents excellent opportunities for all levels of mountain biking. There are flat, hard-pack dirt tracks to steep, rocky hills. The biking is, in a sense, the most technical activity of the Outdoors Program; it requires the use of a fairly complex piece of machinery. The rider must stay focused on what he or she is doing. In this activity, students build up their strength, their sense of balance, and their ability to react to a quickly changing physical environment.

There are also two weekend trips per term, which give us a chance to work on low-impact camping skills and devote at least one full day to our activity. These trips have included all-day bike rides on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, hikes up Mount Chocorua and the Wapack trail, and white water paddling on the Merrimack River and the Marsh Stream. Chances for social and physical growth in these environments abound, and participants have great opportunities to learn about themselves, others in the group, and the nature of groups.

Hiking is perhaps the most social of the activities. There are many paths through conservation lands in and around Groton. As the group hikes, clusters of students form, and their talk runs from the mundane “What’s for dinner?” to some heady discussions about the global situation. All the while, the group listens for birdcalls or looks at various insects. The leaders foster a direct awareness of the environment, depending on their particular interests or expertise. Our hikes also provide students a good exercise in shifting their attention back and forth from the immediate small picture to the big picture. Students must pay attention to where they place their feet and whether that plant is poison ivy or not.

The Outdoors Program offers a non-competitive afternoon activity. It has no other teams to beat. Score is kept during our Ultimate Frisbee games, but in the end, you win if you worked up a good sweat and lose if you did not. The hills and the rivers are not there to be conquered but to be worked with, learned about, and appreciated for their beauty. You have the opportunity to learn how to be an individual in the context of the harmony of the whole.

by Jerry Wooding, Science

the Cow Pond which, through our repeated visits, transforms from a symbol of yuckiness and bugs to a mini-wildlife refuge.

Ornithology is a popular course at LA, particularly with seniors as a spring elective. Let’s face it: bird watching sounds easier than solving math problems or conjugating French verbs!

Most springs, we see at least several of the most dramatic local birds: the red-tailed hawk, great blue heron, osprey, and barred owl. An all-day field trip to the National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island provides a list of thirty-plus species.

But from a teacher’s perspective, the course provides an opportunity to introduce students to birds as subjects for the study of ecology, evolution, and animal behavior. Even more importantly, this class takes students out of doors, a place where they seldom have reason to go except for the playing fields. Between a quarter and a third of our classes are walks; we go bird watching! Our campus has some lovely trees and is surrounded by woods and fields, so there are birds around.

Jerry Wooding (P ’88, ’90, ’95)

These unforgettable experiences may stir a lifelong awareness of the world of nature, the need to conserve wild places, and the pleasure to be taken from a simple walk.

One parent told me that her daughter had come to her to report, “Mom, there are birds everywhere!” Indeed there are, especially at

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feature

A Sense of Learning by Martha Bouchard ’98

Sitting. Contemplating 2,500 miles of open ocean between myself and solid land. And that space again between landfall and the first time I felt the weight of the tower looming above my small mind.

Teachers in love with the process, as much as I was falling for the material, guided my way, recognizing that mine was not a journey of seeking approval or of walking a conventional line.

I was five. We had just moved to Groton, and my mother had just begun a new job; Lawrence Academy was to be ever-present in the next 11 years of my life. Interestingly, the feature of that faraway place that is most present for me is not part of the school; it is an in-between place. To be precise, it is in between the Health Center and one of the dorms. It is in between the school and the road; in between solid ground and infinite possibility. Why does my mind collect the snapshots of life’s captured moments without the captions I have become so accustomed to in our social-media-laden physiological tableau? Why do I remember the Congregational church bell tower with such fondness and mystique, simultaneously with the mystery of undefined meaning? A lot of my childhood was spent looking up and looking out. What a lucky perspective. I knew the color of tropical sea by the time I was 5, had climbed a Mayan temple at 10, and had descended Andean mountains in the back of a pickup truck at 14. Always watching, I was the child who was quiet but knew what was going on and never wanted to miss a thing. My quiet observations became the foundation for my worldviews, my friendships, and my life’s path. I carried this perspective of observation and contemplation into my educational career. I took opportunities head on and was always looking for more. When I arrived at Lawrence Academy, the cornucopia I knew existed from being on the periphery for so long suddenly unfolded. Endless possibilities in the form of creativity, doorways opened through dance, theater, interdisciplinary studies, foreign language, science, and outdoors.

Martha Bouchard ’98

“Teachers in love with the process, as much as I was falling for the material, guided my way, recognizing that mine was not a journey of seeking approval or of walking a conventional line.” I only stayed at Lawrence Academy for two years, not because the school drove me away but because it drove me within. Since the beginning of high school through graduate school and more fully into my career life, there are certain elements that have felt imperative to my active engagement in learning and teaching. My journey to college at 16, to traveling and exploring the world in my early 20s, to graduate school in an intentional community on an old school bus, and to helping to develop an experiential curriculum based on sustainable growth and connecting to one’s life path through literal and metaphorical garden work has been a path of inspiration and of focus.

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Theme-based learning in the NGP at Lawrence allowed me to break out of the paradoxical sinkhole of the “what meaning will this lesson have in the course of my life” adolescent dilemma and drove me to dig deeply into the places that held the most intrigue to me. Two years of immersing myself in the theater and the arts gave me a creativity that encouraged me to search for more. Climbing, canoeing, and other active outdoor adventures helped to solidify my childhood connection with outdoor space as a breeding ground for inspiration. I have found a direct correlation between the active involvement of one’s senses and the desire to be actively involved in one’s learning. Winterim and other creative and experiential learning structures allow for this environment at LA, though it was created through play-based learning at the elementary school where I completed my graduate studies and through garden-based metaphorical exploration of personal responsibility at the place where my learning currently resides. When we interact with the subjects we are learning, the lessons are all the more visceral and become an innate part of our being. The flatness of the book disappears, and the lesson glows with four-dimensional aliveness that can even distract from the ever-changing landscape of a screen (not an easy feat in our modern world). LA has stretched its material and learning landscape to allow for such experiences, which in the end allowed me to truly understand that I needed to forge my own path. Knowing that my time had come, I set off on a path of increasingly more alternative and experiential education that has led me to this place of contemplation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, reflecting on the seeds of my past. While my path was non-traditional, it was the non-traditional underpinnings of that first institution that inspired the process of the lifelong learner able to enjoy the vista of the faraway perspective of her roots, planted firmly

by a culture that valued exploration, interaction, creativity, and collaboration. It was as if that clock had always been asking: What are you going to do with the precious time that you have? It is as if the looming of that possibility led me here today. Without the space of contemplation that is opened by selfdirected, creative, and experiential education, the inspiring in-between places are defined by others, and the self-motivated learner is not able to explore the outer bounds of his or her potential. I was fortunate enough to experience an institution that afforded me those privileges early on.

Martha Bouchard ’98 earned her BA from Simon’s Rock College of Bard, after leaving Lawrence Academy in 1996. Martha’s career has led her on a journey of working with young people in a multitude of environments: as a first grade teacher in Ecuador; teacher and residential director for an experiential education program; youth advocate, counselor and adventure education facilitator and curriculum developer at a residential treatment center; council practitioner and curriculum developer at a contemplative education school; and more than 5 years with her current employer, Pacific Quest, in many roles including helping to develop supervisory positions, operations manuals, and currently as the Program Director. Martha earned her MS from the Audubon Expedition Institute at Lesley University in 2009 after 2 years on a course of study that allowed her to travel four different bioregions in an intentional living community, developing and implementing localized, experiential and contemplative curriculum models. After much travel, Martha finally feels as though she has found her long term home in the jungle on the eastern tip of Hawaii Island.

Nooks and Crannies Exposed by Beverly Rodrigues, Communications Publicist

“My intent with my photography is to capture a moment of altered reality,” Rebecca explains in an artist’s statement that accompanies her displays. The rebel in her readily expounds on the joys of distortion. She loves the grainy look that she gets by digitally brightening underexposed shots, intentionally adding “noise” to the picture. She plays with filters, as with her favorite photo of Emily, which often affects an image in unpredictable, and therefore exciting, ways. “I really enjoy breaking the rules of photography, I guess I’d say.” Her work has earned her both silver and gold keys from the Boston Globe Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

A decade ago, while her elementary school friends were teasing each other with sing-song ditties and trying to figure out what rhymes with “Wnuk,” Rebecca Wnuk ’14 was already intrigued by a new hobby that has since become a true passion. “I got my first camera from my grandma on my sixth birthday,” Rebecca says. As for her classmates, they finally gave up and resorted to calling her “Rebecca Nooks and Crannies”. It’s nearing the end of the 2012 spring term, and the blue-haired sophomore, a visual statement in her own right, is delighted to be interviewed and eagerly opens up her laptop (a constant companion) to share the images on her website. She speaks with pride but also with an engaging playfulness, as photo after photo illustrates what moves her and how she tries to capture it.

Fashion photography was the realm experiencing the Wnuk treatment last spring.

In an independent study that she had just completed, her goal was to “focus more on the scenery around a picture I’m shooting, the setting—working on making the photo itself There’s a friend in the shower with her clothes Rebecca Wnuk ’14 met Annie Leibovitz at the great and having the model kind of be a prop. on spattered with some kind of paint that renowned photographer’s exhibit opening at Maybe it’s technically more like glamour and “makes it look kind of like an alien, but I love the Concord Museum in June. fashion combined. I really like my photos not that.” There’s a wall splattered with the liquid to just make something look pretty, but to have an emotion or a from hundreds of glow sticks that “reminded me of being in a concept behind it.” galaxy.” She stops at another and says, “This is the one I’m most proud of, because it is not edited at all. It is straight from the camera, straight.” You wouldn’t recognize the model as LA student Emily Gregoire ’12, since it is a blurry blue image of a girl glancing back over her shoulder—but that’s the point. In fact, this photo prompted Vogue Italia to give Rebecca portfolio space in the amateur photography section of their website.

Some of Rebecca’s models are friends, and some she contacts through networking sites for amateurs. “I take pictures of the model for my portfolio and, in exchange, the model gets pictures for hers,” she explains. As the school year came to a close, she had already arranged sessions with models in Florida and Nevada, both destinations in her family’s summer travel plans.

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

feature Nooks and Crannies Exposed, continued about .2 seconds apart to create a three-minute video. “You can pretty much create magic,” Rebecca beams, “because you can move, add, or remove whatever you want between shots. You can write things without having your hand in it, paint without having the brush showing.” She proudly notes that her project was used as an example to inspire the following year’s ninth grade class.

As for photography that actually earns income, she enjoys that, too, and the photos on her website are refreshingly unposed. “I love shooting kids,” Rebecca says. “They’re so perfect! I usually shoot in their house or in their own environment, like while they’re playing with their toys, and get a really natural expression.” She doesn’t use a lot of studio equipment in any of her work, preferring natural light—which makes the fact that she can’t afford fancy lights a little easier to take. Her mother, who serves as a great inspiration and supporter, also stresses practical sense and places any financial responsibility for the business squarely on Rebecca’s shoulders.

This fall, as a junior, Rebecca is pursuing a yearlong Honors Visual Arts class with Mr. Dawson. “Being recommended for that really meant a lot to me,” says Rebecca, who is quick to credit her mentors and anyone who opens a door for her along the way. The honors student has the Independent Immersion Program squarely in her sights for her senior year. When asked about any plans beyond that, Rebecca rejects anything resembling decision-making at this point as she looks forward to embracing whatever her talents and experiences might bring. “After all,” she laughs, “I’m only sixteen!”

Before entering the Ninth Grade Program (NGP) at LA, Rebecca attended four years of the school’s summer photography camps with instructor Laurie McGowan. In the NGP, she made use of the final mastery project requirement to try her hand at stopmotion video. She shot 2,000 individual photos and spaced them

LA Photographers Exhibit at Concord Museum Anyone can go and enjoy the Concord Museum’s current exhibit, Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage (June 28–September 23, 2012). But, not just anyone can show their work alongside that of one of America’s best-known living photographers! Beginning September 14, the museum in Concord, Massachusetts, will present an accompanying exhibit of work from students in grades 9–11 from four local schools: Lawrence Academy, Concord Academy, Concord-Carlisle Regional High School, and Middlesex School. Photography instructors at these schools, including LA’s Laurie McGowan, will each select 10 of their students’ photographs to include in the display. Annie Leibovitz, perhaps most recognized for her stunning portraits, shows another side of her work at this exhibit, which is focused on landscapes, interiors of rooms, and objects. The request is that students follow suit and respond to the theme of “A Sense of Place.” Under the leadership of Ms. McGowan, an accomplished photographer in her own right, the photography program at LA has excelled in recent years and is very popular, with many serious artists producing exemplary work. About this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, McGowan said, “I'm very excited to have my students do this exhibit. It’s quite an honor. Annie Leibovitz is an icon, and her work is inspirational to young photographers.”

Samples of Rebecca’s work

Find Rebecca Wnuk Photography on Facebook Visit Rebeccawnuk.carbonmade.com • Google Rebecca Wnuk’s Vogue portfolio

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Dana B. Westberg ’72 Teaching Different Learners by Joseph Sheppard, College Counselor

re-adapts film narratives so that he can speak them—just as Dana the coach re-conceives corporate communication to be addressed to other people rather than read off of “some PowerPoint slide show.” For non-professionals, that “ain’t as easy as it sounds,” he emphasizes, adding, “There’s never enough follow-up [to my lessons]!”

Dana B. Westberg began his lifelong career in a modest, lowbrow manner: playing a couple of character parts in musical comedies that Dave Smith ’65 and I wrote back in the early 1970s. The young Rhode Islander proved to be a versatile actor, song-anddance man, and comic—and, when rehearsals were going badly, the spark that kept the cast energized. He went on to Amherst and then to Yale Drama School. Along the way, he met his wife, French editor and publisher Caroline, at the Bread Loaf School of English, and eventually followed her to Paris. Les Westberg have lived there ever since.

While a “belting tenor” soloist with a concert choir that performs AfricanAmerican spirituals in Paris, over the past decade Dana’s mellow baritone has been immortalized for anyone abroad who has offered Disney’s “Magic English” DVDs to foreign children or anyone traveling who pays attention to Air France pre-flight security instructions: “If you listen to the knucklehead telling you how to fasten your seat belt and, you know, prepare for the worst, that’s me!” Dana says. “What a career, n’est-ce pas?”

S & S Productions’ musicalwriting efforts ended the year after Dana graduated, while he has built a varied and colorful career that “remains,” he adds in a phone conversation, “decidedly” modest and lowbrow. College students are probably Dana in 1971, standing on the McDonald Library terrace overlooking Gibbet Hill Expatriated and far from what Dana’s most “traditional” he’d planned, Dana found a pupils, in that they are taking niche acting in industrial shows, explaining ADSL technology his university courses on the French theatre for English-speakers, all over the world before “it became a reality.” He translates and but they learn the same way as “wannabe actors” and executive narrates documentary and industrial films as a voice actor and has types—by doing. Because their French language skills are usually directed theatre productions and acted on screen. limited, Dana teaches his charges the “non-verbal language” of the theatre: how to understand the Dana the actor-director some“gist” of a play or presentation, times morphs into teacher-coach. what else is going on, and what His students and clients aren’t else is at stake other than the just aspiring French actors or talking. Then they go to the theatre American students taking a year and watch professionals, learn to abroad. Many are corporate become professionals, or to stand executives and managers; he has up in front of a corporate crowd coached in the pharmaceutical, “and make magic happen.” investment, insurance, and cosmetic industries, among others. The corporate types, Dana explains, need to learn to “stand up and testify.” The same holds true in something as ubiquitous as the voiceover on a documentary or an industrial film. Dana the editor often

Dana has learned his craft the old-fashioned way—by doing it. And I’ll bet he’s still a pretty good song-and-dance man.

Dana 1972

Dana Westberg in 2012

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making news Maria Pietsch joins the Language Department as a Spanish instructor. A native Spanish speaker, Maria earned a BA in Engineering from the SUNY Stony Brook. She has spent her career teaching Spanish as a private tutor and in public and charter schools. A resident of Groton, Maria volunteers at the Loaves and Fishes food pantry and as a photographer for the “The Musical Notes,” an entertainment group for senior centers in the community.

Moving In

Steven Engstrom joins the Science Department. He has his BS in Marine and Freshwater Biology from the University of New Hampshire and his MS in Biological Oceanography from the University of Maryland. Since 2008, Steven has been an educator and content specialist at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, New Hampshire. He is fluent in Spanish and has played competitive volleyball for the past 10 years. Steven, his wife Kate, and their 18-month-old son Rylan will be living on campus in Prescott.

R. Daniel Scheibe is the Academy’s 45th Head of School and comes to us from Middlesex School in Concord. Dan spent his secondary schooling years at Taft, did his undergraduate work in literature at Yale, and obtained a Master of Divinity from Princeton’s Theological Seminary and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University. He began his work in schools in a one-year intern position teaching English at Jakarta International School in Indonesia. Following this, Dan joined the faculty as a class dean at Blair Academy, where he created and taught the English curriculum for international students, served as a dorm head, and coached soccer, squash, and baseball. At Middlesex since 1998, Dan has run a dorm, coached squash, taught English and history, and been responsible for this non-sectarian school’s weekly chapel program where the community gathers once a week for events and speakers. In addition to his work in schools, during his four years at Princeton, Dan served as the General Manager for a 30-acre vineyard— managing all the sales and marketing as well as the farming and winemaking. Stop by Park House to say welcome to Dan and his wife Annie Montesano, a former teacher, and their four children, Lilly, Tad, Peter, and Hans.

Carey Aubert is a familiar face to some at LA, having served on the French faculty from 1998 to 2002. She returns to LA to once again to teach French. Most recently, she comes to us from Williams College, where she served as Assistant Director of the Conference Office. She received her undergraduate degree in French from Dartmouth College and her Master of Science in Language at the Université Fr. Rabelais de Tours. Carey will live in Lawrence House and serve as a dorm head.

Elena Beleno Carney ’97 returns to Lawrence Academy in the English Department. Elena received her BA in Political Science from St. Edward’s University and a Law degree from Suffolk University Law School. Elena and her wife Karina, a Groton School graduate, and their two children Sofia and Benji will be living in Waters House. Elena will also be coaching ice hockey and lacrosse.

Matt Greene ’01 comes back to LA to teach humanities in the NGP. Matt graduated from Union College with a degree in Sociology. He is familiar to all in the NGP and on campus, having filled in for Meghan Smith during her maternity leave and having served as head coach for boys’ JV soccer. Matt will continue with JV soccer as well as assist with boys’ JV hockey. He will live in Spaulding and serve in the residential program.

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Elkinsette Clinton joins LA as the director of diversity programs. Elkinsette comes to LA from the Stepping Up Program in Providence, R.I., where she served as the career advisor and community liaison. She previously worked at the Wheeler School as dean of students, and the student and family services coordinator. A sociology graduate of the Kenyon College, Elkinsette also has her MA in Education from the University of Rhode Island. She will live on campus at the Homestead with her daughter Adrianna Paygai.

Kathleen O’Shea joins LA in the Admissions Office as a part-time assistant director. Kathleen received her BA in Art History from Middlebury College. She comes from the Shaker Road School in New Hampshire where she was in charge of 8th-grade searches and placement and also served in admissions at Middlesex. An accomplished field hockey and lacrosse coach, Kathleen will be involved in athletics as well. Robert Barker ’00 comes back to LA as the director of student activities. After leaving LA, Robert received his BA in Sports Studies from the University of New Hampshire. He comes to us from Cardigan Mountain School, where he taught history and coached three sports. In addition to his student activities duties, Robbie will assist with JV football, boys’ varsity hockey, and varsity baseball. He will also serve as a residential dorm head in Spaulding.

Khalid Bashir joins LA as an admissions intern. Khalid graduated in 2012 from Williams College with a BA in American Studies with a concentration in Africana Studies. While at Williams, Khalid was also a broadcaster for the Williams College Sports Information program, calling men and women’s basketball games and football. Here, he will assist with JV basketball.

Moving On and Around Maritza Menjivar, Coordinator of Student Activities, leaves LA to pursue her law degree. She will be attending Texas Southern University in Houston. Luigi Solla, hired last year in the College Counseling Office, is moving back into the college world as a freshman class advisor at Mount Holyoke College in western Massachusetts. Jessie Martin, science faculty in the NGP, is moving to the Boston area to work on her master’s at Tufts University. Joe Raciti, humanities faculty in the NGP, is also moving into Boston and will work on his master’s at the Boston Conservatory. Greg and Pati Foster, after serving as our interim head of school, will move back to their first school in California. Greg has agreed to join the Board of Trustees for LA, and we look forward to having him back on campus for these meetings. Deanna Duplak from the Development Office has moved on to other opportunities.

Andrew Healy will continue to teach a session of Spanish and coach, while assuming the role of director of residential life.

Alyssa MacMeekin moves into the NGP science position from her current position with the Science Department.

Scott Smith will shift from the English Department to teach humanities in the NGP.

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Kim Bohlin will move from the admissions team to the College Counseling Office as associate director.

making news

Auction Celebrates The Art of Teaching traveled all over the United States to take part in professional development programs, all of which further our mission as a learning institution and invigorate our faculty as they continue to pursue excellence both as professionals and for Lawrence Academy. See the sidebars for two firsthand stories from LA faculty members about professional development opportunities .

The 2012 Parents’ Association spring fundraiser Celebrate The Art of Teaching was a huge success, raising over $75,000 for financial aid and the professional development endowment. It was a spectacular night, with a clear tent on the patio of the MacDonald library and a beautiful silver moon rising on cue over the rolling hills of Groton. Over 200 parents, faculty and alumni attended the event. A huge thank-you goes to our entire parent community for its outstanding support. We are very grateful to our co-chairs Carey Cort (Val ’12, Caroline ’14) and Stacy Osur (Becca Gilbert ’12) for their wonderful vision, organization and Hellie Swartwood, director of parent programs hard work. The evening and special events, and co-chairs Carey Cort began with a silent auction, (Vail ’12, Caroline ’14) and Stacy Osur and our own Dave (Becca Gilbert ’12) and Greg Foster, interim Casanave, Director of head of school Communications, emceed a super silent auction. Throughout the evening, beautiful hors d’oeuvres were served, created by LA’s Director of Dining Services Kurt Cassidy (Liam ’15) and his wonderful dining staff. Later in the evening, guests filled the back of the library, which had been transformed into a theatre, to watch a short five-minute video about The Art of Teaching.

From the Admission Office to College Counseling “I am so fortunate to have been able to attend the Taft Educational Center Summer Institute session titled ‘College Counseling: New to the Field’. I follow in the footsteps of Sean Sheehan, Luigi Solla, and Courtney Skerritt, who also had the opportunity in past years to attend this weeklong intensive workshop. We covered a range of topics such as beginning the college process, working with students and parents, writing college recommendations, constructing college lists, developing relationships with college representatives and school officials, and helping students make good decisions. During our week, we visited Wesleyan University and participated in an admissions ‘case study’ as well as attended a ‘Dean’s Forum’ with representatives from the University of Connecticut, Quinnipiac, Trinity, and Yale. I could not have asked for a more thorough introduction to the world of college counseling.” – Kim Bohlin

Some of the money raised from this event went to support LA’s professional development program. This summer, LA faculty

Meite Fay, Keith Gilbert (Becca ’12), and Adrian Fay (Axel ’15)

President of the Board of Trustees Bruce MacNeil ’70 and Trustee Ann Conway

Trustee Debbie and Steve Barnes (Eric ’13) and Rob Barsamian (Robbie ’13)

Bo Murphy (Tanner ’14, David ’16)

Kim Clymer (Eliza ’13, Jillian ’15)

Maddie McCormick (Daniella ’14) and Nicole Kelly (Barrett ’12, Madeleine ’14, Margaret ’16)

Jane Santinelli (Maggie ’14)

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Jennifer Clark (Ben ’14)

Interim Head of School and Trustee Greg Foster, his wife Pati, and President of the Board of Trustees Bruce MacNeil ’70

Coach Receives Athletic License “From July 14 to July 22, I took part in the United States Soccer Federation National ‘C’ License course in Carson, California. Along with 37 other coaches, I spent 13 hours a day on the field, in the classroom, and observing matches in order to increase our knowledge as coaches and further the development of soccer in the United States. Although rigorous, the 9-day course expanded my knowledge of the game, generated contacts around the country, and took an important step in making Lawrence Academy a player on the national soccer stage. A personal highlight was learning how technology is affecting the game and what measures coaches can take to maximize player efficacy. Additionally, I was able to see two professional games and watch the LA Galaxy and Tottenham Hotspur train at world-class facilities. At the end of the 9 days, in order to achieve the “C” license, coaches had to pass a field training session, two written exams, and an oral exam. As an educator at Lawrence Academy, I believe in the development of the whole child. I am grateful to work at a school that values professional development in the academic, athletic, and social arenas.”

Peg and Ted Bernhardt (Chris ’13)

Jim Melvin (Katherine ’13, Connor ’15) and Eric Groves (Madeline ’13)

Welcome to our New 2012-2013 PA Chairs

Karen Riggert (Sarah ’09, Jake ’13) and Alice Solomon (Aubrey ’13, Conrad ’14)

– Colin Igoe

Holding Up the Mirror Lawrence Academy’s 2012 NEASC Reaccreditation by Laura Rogerson Moore, English Department Chair

Every 10 years, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) requires each member institution to undergo a reaccreditation process, which involves a comprehensive self-study. Lawrence Academy’s last self-study was completed in 2002. In the spring of 2011, the school began its 2012 self-study. Under the leadership of self-study coordinator Laura Moore, Heads of School Scott Wiggins and Dan Scheibe, Interim Head of School Greg Foster, Assistant Head of School Rob Moore, Director of Finance Operations Linda Deasy, and members of the steering committee Zack Dawson, Artie Karp, Susan Hughes, and Mark Mucha, Lawrence Academy has conducted an inclusive, transparent, and thorough reaccreditation process. All administration, faculty, and professional staff were required to participate. Trustees were invited to serve on committees of their choosing, and eight chose to participate. Parents and students were also invited to participate, and 10 parents and 23 students agreed to join a committee. In May, the coordinator presented a full draft of the report to the board of trustees, and in June, the faculty voted

unanimously to approve and submit the Lawrence Academy SelfStudy 2012 to NEASC. A nine-member visiting committee, chaired by Head of Suffield Academy Charlie Cahn, is scheduled to be on campus in late October, when they will review the school’s vision of itself and draft a response. Once the visiting committee submits its report to NEASC, Head of School Dan Scheibe will incorporate those findings into the school’s Multi-Year Plan. Lawrence Academy has long prided itself on self-scrutiny and innovation, and its 2012 self-study has served as a useful mirror, revealing that LA continues to be a school in critical and collaborative dialogue. What is more, it has proven to be galvanizing, bringing into focus LA’s many strengths and providing new perspective into how to address its weaknesses. Several initiatives are already underway. The school now awaits the visiting committee’s arrival, when the mirror will be held up yet again. Laura Moore (P ’04, ’06, ’09)

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

making news

Thanks to Our “Bridge to Success” Donors!

Two of five new faculty residences constructed this summer are individual homes located just past the outdoor pool at the beginning of Academy Drive, one funded by the Mary Mae Foundation, and one by “Bridge to Success” donors.

by Christopher Margraf, Interim Director of Development

In addition to providing a new faculty home, “Bridge to Success” funds also supported the complete dethatching, aeration, over-seeding, and drainage improvements to Shumway Fields, where our girls’ and boys’ varsity soccer programs play, which took place in late July through the middle of August. Two new reading rooms were also constructed for student use in the McDonald Library, and new boys’ and girls’ athletic lockers were installed in the Stone Athletic Center.

Campus was abuzz this summer with a number of building projects and renovations taking place, thanks to $460,000 raised through our “Bridge to Success” initiative this past spring and to the generous grant of $500,000 to Lawrence Academy from the Mary Mae Foundation last fiscal year. The most noticeable changes to campus involved the installation of five new modular faculty homes. Four of these homes were purchased through the Mary Mae funding with the stipulation that only teaching faculty may live in these residences. Two individual homes were installed in the parking lot adjacent to the swimming pool, while two townhouses were built at the end of Academy Drive. The fifth faculty home, was constructed behind Rob and Laura Moore’s home abutting Old Ayer Road. The addition of the new housing generated a lot of activity on campus in Marcus Cabot, who just moved into one August, as 22 faculty families either moved of the new homes, is inspired by the in or changed their residences. construction activity.

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Overall, major kudos should be extended to our director of buildings and grounds, Carl Anderson, and his entire team for working at a frenetic pace to ensure that all of these projects, in addition to their general summer work, were completed in a timely fashion. We also want to extend our sincere gratitude to our “Bridge to Success” donors for allowing the school to fulfill some considerable campus needs this past summer.

around LA

Spring Dance Performance

The Arts at LA

L–R: Franchesca Kiesling ’14, Jordan Rodriguez ’12, and Jonny Mangini ’14

Artistic expression, in its myriad forms, is an integral part of LA life for virtually all students. At the end of each term, students display their work in the Black Box Theatre, on the RMPAC stage, and in the halls of the Gray Building. Both serious artists and students discovering their artistic side for the first time produce work of breathtaking variety and creativity of expression. Vail Cort ’12

Spring Music Performance

Drawing by Holly Moniz ’13

Sarah Carlson ’13 Photo by Darrien Myers ‘13

Haley Gowland ’13

Kalyn Lai ’14

by Sara Mushinski ’12

around LA

Cum Laude 2012 This year’s Cum Laude Day celebrations took place on April 24, 2012, just days before the school’s annual spring fundraiser, and Interim Head of School Greg Foster took the opportunity to remark on the theme of this year’s event: The Art of Teaching at Lawrence Academy.

Cum Laude Day is an annual event that acknowledges academic excellence, recognizes individual achievement, and introduces the recipient of the school’s Greater Good Award.

He began by asking all of the teachers to stand. “This morning’s award winners,” he said, “were taught and guided by the teachers and staff of Lawrence Academy. They are exceptional people who love learning and their subjects, and who respect their students enough to expect much of them. Membership in this faculty is reserved for those who go above and beyond the call of common duty to make this a special kind of school. Students, I tell you they have done the very best they know how to help you grow stronger, smarter, abler.” Very heartfelt and prolonged applause ensued for the faculty. Mr. Foster’s remarks set the tone for the rest of the assembly.

LA recognizes students who have shown excellence in their overall academic achievements by inducting them into the national Cum Laude Society. Those who are eligible are juniors who are within the top 10 percent of their class and seniors, joining current members, who are in the top 20 percent of their class. Membership, which also requires the demonstration of good character, honor, and integrity, is ultimately determined by a faculty vote. Director of Studies Chris Ellsasser did the honors of bringing this year’s inductees (listed below) to the stage, where they were welcomed by current members, seniors Chase Conklin, Sean Foster, Nathan Fritz, Rebecca Gilbert, Connor Kilian, Cynthia McKie, and Jennifer Weil.

Mr. Foster said of the members and inductees, “This morning we honor individuals who have been inspiring. They have excelled in the work of our classrooms, labs, studios, meeting rooms, and playing fields. These people this year have shown us what dedication, determination, and discipline look like. They have shown us what effort, energy, and enthusiasm can achieve. We hold this ceremony and pass out these awards because it’s right to thank the people who set the standard.” He concluded the induction ceremony by saying, “Events like these make it possible for us to know what quality is and how we can make it happen. When we encounter a moving work of literature, when we witness a lucid solution of a problem, when we observe a great performance, when we cheer an exciting athletic event, when we witness a selfless act of generosity, it moves us to strive for quality ourselves. If we strive to do things we hadn’t thought to do, and if we end up achieving things we didn’t know we could,

Cum Laude Society 2012 Inductees

Robert and Inez Bouzon ’13

Geoffrey Keane ’12, Luis Fernandez de la Campa ’12, Giang Thanh Huong Than ’12

Vincent, Conor ’12, Jeanne, and Vincent Helfrich

Patricia, Phoebe ’13, and Timothy Roque

Allie Goodrich ’13

George, George ’13, Karen, and little brother Nicholas Hunkele

Lori, Holly ’13, and James Moniz

Marc Foster ’13

Emily Gregoire ’12

Haley ’13 and Daphne Gowland, IT support

Vida, Ruta ’12, and Lucius Strazdis

Rex and Boyd Green ’12, and Melissa Der

Thomas, Sarah ’13, and Sharon Carlson

Lee Ellen, Katherine ’13, and

Robert Jones ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Victoria Hanson ’13

Ryan Ansin ’05 — 2012 Greater Good Award

2012 Cum Laude Prize Recipients

Ryan Ansin ’05, recipient of the 2012 Greater Good Award, gratefully accepted the recognition from his former school and shared his thoughts about Every Person Has a Story (EPHAS), the organization that captured the attention of the Lawrence Academy community. He created the business in 2003 and, for years, was the man behind the camera filming documentaries in some of the world’s most challenged communities. However, he found himself imagining that the stories of his subjects could be even more powerful if he put the cameras into their hands. Following his inspiration, in 2010 EPHAS became a non-profit that funds and facilitates photography clinics, domestically and in developing countries abroad, to give people the means to tell their own stories. It now operates 20 schools in Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Rwanda, and the United States. Photographs are shared worldwide through the Internet, exchange programs, and art gallery displays; any sales benefit their locations of origin. The group’s premise is that “every story deserves to be told.” For those viewing the images—such as a sampling that Mr. Ansin projected on a screen for the audience on Cum Laude Day—the magic comes from being able to see through the eyes of people who are empowered to represent themselves.

then we are better, and so are those around us. When the acts of others spur us to do better, we call it inspiration.” Turning the focus to students who have shown outstanding achievement in a variety of specific areas of academic and artistic endeavors, the celebration of excellence and inspiration continued with the presentation of book prizes to deserving individuals. (See sidebar.) Assistant Head of School Rob Moore took the podium to share the background for the final award—one that goes beyond achievement in the classrooms. The Greater Good Award, he explained, “recognizes LA citizens who use their education for the greater good of humanity and to make the world a better place.” Given to a graduate of Lawrence Academy on Cum Laude Day each spring and to a current student at Founders’ Day each fall, the award is made possible by the LA Endowment Fund for Service, Social Justice, and Global Awareness, which was created in 2005 by Jay Dunn ’83 and his family. Introducing Ryan Ansin ’05, this spring’s Greater Good Award recipient, were seniors Connor Kilian and Courtney Kendall. They expressed their admiration for the creative concept that Mr. Ansin has turned into an exciting organization, Every Person Has A Story (www.ephas.org). Connor, who was the 2011 student recipient of the Greater

Good Award last fall, acknowledged Mr. Ansin’s “dedicated pursuit of bringing a voice to the underserved and overlooked groups through photography and creating crosscultural communities through the sharing of vision and imagery of our individual worlds.” While he was a student at Lawrence Academy, Mr. Ansin had already established a business involved in making promotional films and documentaries for nonprofit organizations. Among the first was a trip to Cambodia to document Khmer Rouge survivor Loung Ung’s efforts to eliminate landmines in her homeland. He later brought Ms. Ung to Lawrence Academy to give a moving address at his graduation. Mr. Ansin also pursued other projects throughout Southeast Asia and parts of Africa while at LA. He took a year to continue those efforts before entering into studies at Emerson College and, ultimately, turning his former business into a nonprofit organization that he felt would better serve the communities that he was trying to help. The assembly came to a close with statements from Mr. Ansin that implied that he may not have been Lawrence Academy’s most stellar student. He made his point— that the door is wide open to everyone to pursue their own inspiration and make their own impact in their own way toward a better world.

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Freshman Book Prize in English for Reading Devan Taylor ’15 Freshman Book Prize in English for Writing Eun-Kyung (Jenny) Noh ’15 Class of 1957 Award Amadu Kunateh ’15 Brown Book Award Holly Moniz ’13 Mansfield Branigan Memorial Prize Yu-Hsun (Louis) Liao ’14 Harry J. Davidson Prize Robert Barsamian ’13 Dartmouth College Book Award Victoria Hanson ’13 Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Medal George Hunkele ’13 Rensselaer Mathematics and Science Award Holly Moniz ’13 Eleanor and Cameron Smith Poetry Prize William Wickerham ’12 Holmes Prize Chase Conklin ’12 Language Prize Nathan Fritz ’12 Thompson English Prize Brett McQuaide ’12 Class of 1965 Prize for Art Sara Mushinski ’12 and Alexandra Thornton ’12 Class of 1965 Prize for Music Nathan Fritz ’12 Class of 1965 Prize for Theatre Jamarcus Shelton ’12 Class of 1965 Prize for Dance Maren Mei Siu ’12 Peter S. Yozell ’41 History and Social Sciences Award Rebecca Gilbert ’12 and Jacob Knox ’12 May Sarton Poetry Prize Renee Wysopal ’12 Tower Mathematics Prize Sean Foster ’12 Francis A. Head Award for Excellence in Journalism Ryan Zapolski ’12 Anne and David Rosenthal Prize for Literary Appreciation Sean Foster ’12

around LA

LA at a Glance Winterim Winterim, one of the hallmarks of the LA experience, is the highly anticipated block of intensive two-week courses offered each March. Courses offered include a vast array of unique opportunities such as mountain biking, pottery making, community service in the Dominican Republic, and learning American Sign Language. Students relish the opportunity to focus on one particular interest or discipline for two weeks. “The options are endless,” one student remarked. “They really get you to think about trying something new.” Student Writers Published There is arguably nothing that makes an English teacher prouder than when one of her students’ written work finds a wider audience than the classroom. Two students in Department Chair Laura Moore’s English class recently experienced the thrill of having their pieces accepted for publication. Freshman Jenny Noh was awarded a silver key in the Boston Globe Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and senior Sydney Bagley received recognition for her writing in the online journal Teen Ink. A boarder from South Korea, Noh wrote a very personal essay about the challenges she has faced of learning a second language. Bagley’s piece, “First Impressions,” “is a short story that I wrote for Honors Writing. It portrays a defeated character who is tired of pleasing everyone, yet that’s all she knows how to do.” CCS Welcomes WBZ’s Steve Burton As part of the Cultural Coffeehouse series, WBZ sportscaster Steve Burton recently came to campus and addressed parents, students, and faculty who packed into the Recital Hall for a captivating discussion about race and sports. Mr. Burton shared personal stories about his childhood, schooling years, experiences as an athlete, and work as a broadcaster. He engaged the students and adults alike, keeping his remarks short, and he invited three volunteers to try their hand at doing a “live” stand-up news report. His ability to connect with students has to do not only with his affable nature and easy-going style, but also with his real-world experiences. His description of his family and their support of him as he made his way in the world, first as an athlete and then as a sports journalist, captivated and inspired the audience. Beach Day On May 24, with their high school studies completed, the Class of 2012 enjoyed a beautiful day at Salisbury Beach to celebrate one of their last times together as an entire class. With serious issues left behind, the camaraderie was great and the weather cooperated for a fantastic cookout and lots of fun with football, Frisbee, swimming, and playing in the sand.

Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day On Wednesday, April 25, junior Josh Fyffe’s grandmother, Anna Cohen, was one of 135 current grandparents to come to campus for a glimpse into the daily lives of their grandchildren. Mr. Foster greeted the grandparents saying, “Grandparents help to keep life’s ups and downs and highs and lows in perspective because they have a longer view and broader perspective that helps parents and their children maintain balance.” Grandparents were able to see firsthand how LA’s faculty members approach the art of teaching as they accompanied their grandchildren to their regularly scheduled classes.

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Time to Get Bald! For the sixth year, a contingent of Lawrence Academy students and faculty sacrificed their hair for a good cause when the annual St. Baldrick’s fundraiser for cancer research returned to campus on Saturday, May 19. To date, anywhere from eight to twenty-five people have made the sacrifice in any given year. Under the leadership of Director of Admissions Tony Hawgood, who also participates each year, these bald and beautiful people have raised over $35,000 from pledges and sponsors. Sampling the World Kitchens all over campus were put to use preparing an international dinner in MacNeil Lounge on May 15. Traditional foods, colorful costumes, and displays drew a full house as students and faculty alike took advantage of the opportunity to learn about the countries represented by their classmates and students. Tables bearing a fantastic spread of dishes lined the perimeter of the room and were tended by students from South Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, Germany, Spain, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, France, Vietnam, and Venezuela. Performances of traditional dances by students from Thailand, Taiwan, and Spain followed the dinner. NGP Mastery Projects Just before the end of every year, the entire freshman class takes over the Gray Building for two and a half hours for their final NGP presentations. Each student presents on a topic he or she chose and shares the results of the eight-week research project with students, faculty, and parents. Among the more than 80 subjects this year were airplanes, skiing, tornadoes, the electric violin, Alzheimer’s disease, cheese, concussions, politics and propaganda, forensics, and, definitely a first at this event, camel racing. Some were motivated by life experience, others by a long-held personal interest in a particular topic. Dina Mordeno, head of the NGP, said, “The NGP is about students learning how to walk on their own intellectual legs and, in the process, better determine where they want to go and what interests them. In the NGP, students learn to think for themselves in science, history, the arts, and English—and to see that success in each discipline requires mastering a common set of skills.” ESL Students Share Their LA Experiences On June 8, students in the ESL program invited the community to hear them speak of their experiences in transitioning to life at LA. As a year-end project, the speeches also served the purpose of demonstrating what the students had learned about writing and speaking in English over the year. Each student took a different approach to the task of appealing to their audience; some relied on humor, others employed metaphors, and several used truthful, heart-wrenching confessions of the difficulties they have faced in adjusting to life in a foreign country away from friends and family. Each of the five-minute speeches, impressive in their own ways, offered a rare glimpse into the lives of those international students who have sacrificed so much to attend LA and the obstacles they must overcome in learning how to navigate with a new language and culture. The First “Tweed Run” A new fundraising activity, instigated by freshmen Amadu Kunateh and Connor Melvin, had its debut during an April on-campus weekend. Students donned tweed jackets and other “dashing” attire and rode bikes, skateboards, and rollerblades in a loop around the campus to promote a collection of clothing for the less fortunate. Donations collected were given to homeless and women’s shelters in the area. The event was followed by a performance by The Cranks, a popular band that features twins Haley and Connor Gowland ’13. Talent Show “LA’s Got Talent,” complete with judging panel, was a highly entertaining event that featured students who did not necessarily appear in the spotlight during the year’s regular musical performances. Dancers, singers, rappers, singer/songwriters, a harpist, and even a quartet of singing cowboys all vied for the judges’ favor to the delight of an enthusiastic audience during April’s on-campus weekend.

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

around LA

The Spartan Report Winter 2011/2012 Girls’ Hockey

Boys’ Hockey

Head Coach Maggie Joyce, Assistant Coach David Morton

Head Coach Kevin Potter, Assistant Coaches Sean Sheehan and Topher Bevis, and Goalie Coach Ian Farrington

• ISL record 8–4–0 (3rd place); overall NEPSGIHA record 15–7–3 • New England championship runners-up • ISL All-League: Victoria Hanson ’13 and Ashley Vesci ’12 • ISL Honorable Mention: Kathryn (KJ) Davis ’13 and Katie Laughlin ’14 • MVPs: Victoria Hanson ’13 and Ashley Vesci ’12 • MIP: Devan Taylor ’15 • Coach’s Award: Jaci Gordon ’12

Boys’ Basketball

Girls’ Skiing

Girls’ Basketball

Head Coach Mariah Napeñas

Head Coach Donna Mastrangelo, Assistant Coach Libby Margraf

• Team placed 3rd at New England Tournament • ISL All-League: Madeleine Kelly ’14

• ISL Keller Division record 10–2–2 (1st place); NEPSIHA record 23–3–3; overall record 25–3–3 • NEPSIHA Elite Champions and Keller Division Champions • ISL All-League: Devin Tringale ’12, Tyler Whitney ’12, Matthew Baldino ’12, Jacob Schechter ’12, and Nathaniel Heilbron ’12

• MVP: Madeleine Kelly ’14

• ISL All-League: Shannon Saywell ’12

• Coach’s Award: Hanna Williamson ’12

• Selected to NEPSAC East A/B AllStar Team: Shannon Saywell ’12

Wrestling

• MVP: Shannon Saywell ’12

Head Coach Santo Anza, Assistant Coach Andrew Brescia

• MIP: Sarah Wallace ’14

• ISL record 1–11 (tied for 11th place)

• Graves Kelsey Award for Most Improved Team

Head Coach Kevin Wiercinski, Assistant Coach Kevin Sullivan

• NEPSAC tournament, finished 23rd of 47 New England teams

• ISL record 9–6 (one of 5 teams tied for 5th place); overall record 13–14

• Hockey Night in Boston’s MVP Award: Devin Tringale ’12

• High School All-American: Andrew Crane ’14

• ISL All-League: Jalen Myrie ’13 and Kyle Howes ’14

• MVPs: Devin Tringale ’12 and Nathaniel Heilbron ’12

• ISL Champion: Isaiah Bellamy ’14

• ISL Honorable Mention: Charles “Darrien” Myers ’13 and Daquan Sampson ’13

• MIP: Joseph Lace ’13

• Coach’s Award: Isaiah Bellamy ’14

• Coach’s Award: Matthew Baldino ’12

• MVP: Andrew Crane ’14

Boys’ Skiing

• MIP: Hyuk Jin Chung ’14

• ISL All-League: Isaiah Bellamy ’14

• MIP: Charles “Darrien” Myers ’13

Head Coach Colin Igoe

• Coach’s Award: Thomas Sar ’14

• Team placed 2nd at New England Tournament • ISL All-League: Kevin “Barrett” Kelly ’12 • MVP: Kevin “Barrett” Kelly ’12 • Coach’s Award: William Beck ’12

Kelly Barre t ’1

• Coach’s Awards: Olivia Sommer ’12 and Julia Tesoro ’12

• Graves Tournament results 66.0 (10th place)

• ISL Honorable Mention: William Messa ’12, Brady Burns ’12, George Hunkele ’12, and Conor Helfrich ’12 • Hockey Night in Boston’s Achievement Award: Tyler Whitney ’12 and Matt Baldino ’12

• MVP: Jalen Myrie ’13

• ISL record 4–8 (tied for 6th place); overall record 9–14

Kevin Haghigh at ’13 5

’1 Tara Burke

Shannon Saywell Center and 4-year veteran Shannon Saywell of Groton was selected for the 2012 NEPSAC East A/B All-Star girls basketball team. During the NEPSAC Super Sunday activities at Noble & Greenough School on March 4, she participated in an All-Star game with the best players from schools around New England. Coach Donna Mastrangelo proudly announced that Shannon made 7 rebounds and 4 points, as well as a big steal during the game. “It was a tremendous opportunity for Shannon to play with future Division 1 players,” says her coach, “and her performance with such talented girls was certainly thrilling to watch. Shannon, pictured with her parents John Saywell and Lucy van Leeuwen, will attend Smith College this fall, where she was recruited to play basketball.

Devan Taylor ’15

rs Darrien Mye

’13

Note: Articles about the boys’ hockey, girls’ hockey, and wrestling seasons appeared in the Spring 2012 Elm Tree, which can be found in the publication archives on the LA website.

Devon Tringale ’12

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Spring 2012 Baseball

Boys’ Lacrosse

Track and Field

Girls’ Tennis

Head Coach Chris Margraf, Assistant Coaches Rob Olsen and Mike Culley

Head Coach Andrew Healy, Assistant Coach Sean Sheehan

Head Coach David Woo, Assistant Coach Kim Bohlin

• ISL record 10–5; overall record 12–5

• ISL record 1–14; overall record 3–15

Head Coach Larissa Smith, Assistant Coaches Mariah Napeñas and Paul Zukauskas

• ISL All-League: Max Tishman ’12, Brady Burns ’12, and Kevin Wnukowski ’12 • ISL Honorable Mention: Nick Day ’13 and Aubrey Solomon ’13 • ISL Pitcher of the Year: Max Tishman ’12 • ISL Offensive Player of the Year: Brady Burns ’12 • Team MVPs: Max Tishman ’12 and Brady Burns ’12 • Coach’s Awards: Steven Drury ’13 and Kevin Wnukowski ’12

• ISL All-League: Conor Helfrich ’12 • ISL Honorable Mention: Eric White ’12

• Coach’s Awards: Sarah Wallace ’14 and Matt Picard-Fraser ’13

• MIP: Jacob Gillis ’13 • Coach’s Award: Matt Baldino ’12

• MVPs: Nicholas Schutz ’15 and Salyna Anza ’14

Girls’ Lacrosse

Boys’ Tennis

Head Coach Katie Quist, Assistant Coach Maggie Joyce

Head Coach John Curran

• ISL record 0–13; overall record 0–13

• ISL record 0–14; overall record 2–14

• ISL All-League: Jaci Gordon ’12

• Coach’s Award: Julia Tesoro ’12 Head Coach Theresa Ryan, Assistant Coach Leslie Breton

• ISL Honorable Mention (Long Jump): Nicholas Schutz ’15

• MVP: Conor Helfrich ’12

• Team MVP: Jaci Gordon ’12

Softball

• ISL record: placed 10th overall in ISL Tournament

• Unsung Hero: McKayla Blanch ’13

• 2012 Charles W. “Skip” Howard ISL Boys Tennis Sportsmanship Award

• ISL record 0–12; overall record 0–13–1 • The Dr. A. Fernald Memorial Coach’s Award: Julia Kopelman ’13 • MIP: Laura Adie ’14

Golf Head Coach Kevin Wiercinski • ISL record: placed 9th overall in ISL Tournament • The Robbins Golf Prize: Anna Demasi ’12 • MVP: Nathaniel Heilbron ’12 • The Dr. A. Fernald Memorial Golf Award: Baron Lee ’15

• The Dr. A. Fernald Memorial MVP: Carlos Gabilondo ’14 • MIP: Phil Titcomb ’13

• ISL record 6–5; overall record 8–5

Lily Jewell ’1 3

• ISL All-League: Lily Jewell ’13 • ISL Honorable Mention: Bridget Flynn ’12, Victoria Hanson ’13, Devan Taylor ’15

Jaci Gordan ’12

Joe Lace ’13

• MVP: Lily Jewell ’13 • Coach’s Awards: Ashley Vesci ’12 and Emily Bovenzi

Salyna Anza ’14

Chris Giles ’13 3 Greg Stern ’1

Raph ael G uilleb on ’15

Sean Mulla ne

Cyn Alexandre

’12 ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

y ’13

around LA

2012

t n e m e c n e m m Co

by Ali Carley, Summer Intern

senior class on being a “beautiful bunch”) before getting down to the real message of his talk, which was to advise the students to take advantage of the opportunities offered and to use them to find what in life truly makes them happy.

The 219th Lawrence Academy commencement ceremony was held on Friday, June 1, 2012 on a beautiful day with the sun shining and a light breeze ruffling through the white tents set up on the Quad. The procession began with the tolling of the bells and the music struck up by the orchestra as the LA class of 2012 seniors walked to the seats they would occupy for the ceremony—the ones they would sit down in as high school students and leave as graduates and LA alumni. As they walked through rows of family and friends, their faces revealed a varying range of emotions; some were crying, some were laughing, and some were smiling nervously. Greg Foster, the interim head of school, began the ceremony with a speech welcoming the class of 2012 to their commencement ceremony and offering a few words of advice. He spoke about the purpose and goal of a school such as LA and the honor and pride each teacher and member of the faculty feels about having the opportunity to teach such a bright group of young students.

Commencement Speakers This year’s guest speaker was Andre Dubus III, whose book many in the senior class read this past year for English. He walked up to the podium and began his speech with a loud and resounding, “Congrats!” which caused the senior class to cheer widely. He warmed up the crowd with a few jokes (and complimented the

Renee Wysop al

During his February 2012 visit as LA’s first J. William Mees Visiting Scholar, Andre Dubus III connected with students with his down-to-earth and honest approach to the experiences of life. The Class of 2012 was thrilled to have the New York Times bestselling author return to give its commencement address. As someone who Andre Dubus III, struggled along the way to a commencement speaker successful writing career, his message to graduates reflected a belief that the most successful life is one that involves something you are passionate about—it may not be what you expected, it might not even be the most lucrative, but if you pay attention to what moves you, it is likely to be the most rewarding.

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ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Will Beck, the first of two senior speakers, followed Dubus to the podium. He related some of his fond memories from his experience at LA and reflected on how much he has grown these past four years. “I felt like a peanut,” he said about his first day at LA. By the end of senior year, however, he was asking, “How did this place become so small?” At the end of his speech, he added a heartfelt, off-script thank you to his classmates for making the past four years enjoyable and fun.

“The point is that our school provides many opportunities to explore different areas. I tried to take advantage of most everything that I could, and now I feel like I’ve covered all the bases.” –Will Beck, senior graduation speaker

Rebecca Gilbert, the second senior representative chosen to speak, had a similar message to that of Dubus and Beck; she reminded her classmates to explore different activities to find and do what made them happy. She gave a personal example of her own, relating how after multiple ACL operations that took her out of playing sports, she discovered who she was off the field. She thanked her classmates for helping her grow into the person she is today, and then said, “I’m honored to be speaking today, but truly, this isn’t about me.” She then related a few quotes from her classmates about what they had learned during their years at LA. Some were inside jokes that had the students laughing, and others took a more serious note, such as Jake Whaley’s advice that “it’s better to live with the stress of doing something than the regret of not doing anything.” She ended with her personal memories and the three main lessons she felts she and her classmates learned over the years: “To never judge a book by its cover… to value the relationships you’ve made here… and to be true to yourself.”

“I came here thinking I was someone characterized by the sports I played, but ended up being someone completely different. For what it’s worth, these unfortunate and unexpected events led me to open new doors. At Lawrence Academy, I’ve learned to open every door presented to me because you never know the opportunities that await you.” – Becca Gilbert, senior graduation speaker

explained that, during the dark days of the mid-1300s, a Hollandborn educator named Gerhard Groote founded the Brethren of the Common Life in an effort to revive interest in educating young people. “Groote had faith that the young people he taught would be the key to a better future,” Mr. Foster said, “and every morning he would face his students and remove his hat and bow and say, ‘I bow before the unknown greatness that sits before me.’” Placing a mortarboard on his head and walking around in front of the podium, Mr. Foster faced the members of the Class of 2012 and addressed them for the last time, removing his hat and saying: “I bow before the unknown greatness that sits before me.” His words had many in tears. The new alumni then lined up for their goodbyes to the faculty, an LA tradition that represented the closing of the 2012 commencement ceremony. Families and friends surged forward to congratulate the new graduates, offering flowers and hugs as they celebrated the passing of this monumental step in the students’ lives.

“I am privileged to remind the Class of 2012 that they now enter the company of LA’s 5,700 living alumni who have preceded them in this ceremony. Together you share the unique experience of education that is Lawrence. Your duty is twofold:

After the presentation of diplomas, which ended with cheers and whistles as the then-graduated seniors threw their caps in the air, Mr. Foster called for their attention one last time. He briefly

First, it is your duty to sustain your school into the future, so that it will be strong and good for those who follow, and who may include one day your own sons and daughters. Second, it is your duty to strive to the fullest throughout your lives to use well the great advantages that your families have provided you. Our hopes rest with you.” gh Anabel Bri

– Greg Foster, interim head of school

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around LA

Graduation Prizes Prizes were presented by Interim Head of School Greg Foster and Assistant Head of School Rob Moore. The Faculty Award Kuo-Chen (Jenny) Liao ’12 The Benjamin Davis Williams Prize Connor Kilian ’12 The Ferguson Prize for Leadership Rebecca Gilbert ’12 The Whitehurst Prize Ashley Vesci ’12 The Mary Elizabeth Chickering Prize Emily Bovenzi ’12 The Richmond Baker Prize Ashley Vesci ’12 The Raymond A. Ilg, Jr. Award Matthew Baldino ’12 The Pillsbury Prize for General Improvement in Scholarship and School Duties During the Course William Wickerham ’12

The Pillsbury Prize for Character And Conduct Ryan Zapolski ’12 The Grant Award Bridget Flynn ’12 and Devin Tringale ’12 The Howard W. Glaser ’55 Award William Beck ’12 The Melvin W. Mann Award Emily Denault ’12 The Proctor Award Emily Gregoire ’12 The Tom Park ’29 Memorial Award Nathaniel Heilbron ’12 The Head’s Award Jennifer Weil ’12

The Adrian Chen ’92 Award Luis Fernandez De La Campa ’12 The David Thomas Kinsley Prize for Public Speaking Suttipong (Jay) Suttapitugsakul ’12 The Harvard Book Prize Victoria Hanson ’13 The Carl A. P. Lawrence Award Steven Drury ’13 The James E. Baker Prize Christopher Bernhardt ’13 The Thomas B. Warner Memorial Prize Patrick Burns ’13 and George Hunkele ’13 The David Soren Yeutter Memorial Award Marc Foster ’13 The Margaret Price White Award Thomas Sar ’14 and Sarah Wallace ’14

The Treisman Prize for Superior Scholastic Achievement Sean Foster ’12

Matthew Baldino ’12, Rob Moore, and Greg Foster

Emily Bovenzi ’12

Marc Foster ’13 accepting award from Greg Foster

Senior Breakfast by Ali Carley, Summer Intern

When I walked into the dining hall for the Senior Breakfast on Thursday, May 31, 2012, the seniors had already arrived and were sitting at the white table-clothed tables or checking in and receiving their lanyards. The Senior Breakfast is the event the day before graduation which celebrates the students’ completion of their time at LA and welcomes them into the alumni community. Girls sported bright sundresses with colorful espadrilles and boys looked sharp in their khakis and collared shirts. The sound of laughter and chatter filled the lounge as the sun streamed through the windows and lit up MacNeil Lounge. The long buffet table in the center of the room supported a wide variety of delicious breakfast foods. Students sat at the tables lining the walls with their friends as well as trustees and members of the Alumni Council.

The class of 2012 is welcomed into the alumni ranks by members of the Alumni Council and Trustees following the Senior Breakfast.

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Interim Head of School Greg Foster began his speech by welcoming the seniors and alumni to the event, introducing the members of the Alumni Council as the “leaders of the alumni community which you (the seniors) are now hours away from joining.” He described the current senior class as a “vibrant, fun, interesting, and resilient crew” who excelled in the arts, in the classroom, and on the sports fields. He finished with a final welcome to the seniors into the “mysteries and glories of the LA alumni,” garnering a few chuckles from the alumni in the crowd, and then introduced the president of the Alumni Council, Valerie Templeton ’89.

Alumni Council A young maple tree planted beside the Ferguson Building will represent the class of 2012 for many years to come.

Ms. Templeton welcomed the seniors to the alumni community before giving a few hints as to how they might become involved. She described the activities and fundraising events they participate in and then thanked the seniors for their class gift. Following her came the president of the Young Alumni, Cameron L. Fadjo ’99, who described the newly formed committee as a group meant to “fill the piece missing” between graduates and alumni and to help the new graduates transition into and connect with the alumni community. Assistant Head of School Rob Moore and Interim Director of Development Chris Margraf, both of whom expressed their admiration for the senior class as a diverse and dynamic group, followed Mr. Fadjo.

Tree Planting The annual tree-planting ceremony capped off the Senior Breakfast activities. A short speech was given by the head of school and the ceremony was concluded with a robust singing of the school song by the entire senior class. The bright, sunny day provided the perfect backdrop to the tree planting. Seniors were excited to finally participate in the ceremony, as they had heard about it for four years and now it was their turn—a feeling one student put into words: “We’ve seen the ceremony for so many years and finally get to experience it.” All of the students I talked to seemed to express the same sentiment about their coming graduation; as one girl said, “I’m excited for next year, but sad to leave these people and this place.” Another student agreed, saying, “I’m sad, but ready to graduate.”

Mr. Moore gave three pieces of advice to the students: stay connected to the school and each other, give back to the community, and enjoy the last hours before graduation. This last statement was met with nervous laughs and excited grins as it dawned on the students that their remaining time at LA was down to a certain number of hours. Mr. Margraf thanked the students for their 100% attendance at the breakfast and, with a grin, for their pranks set up early that morning. When describing this year’s senior class, Margraf compared their experience to The Breakfast Club, a movie about a diverse group of students thrown together and given the opportunity to overcome their differences and become friends. To prove his point, he named a few students and their accomplishments to highlight the diversity present in the senior class. Each name was followed by laughter and clapping as the students remembered how much they and their classmates have grown and changed over their four years at LA. Margraf ended by urging the seniors “to remember the great community you have been a part of as you go your separate ways and to give back to the place that made it all possible.”

Most of us can probably remember this bittersweet moment from our own final days of senior year—the sadness we felt as we realized that those were the last remaining hours we had with all of our classmates in the same place, countered only by the excitement and anticipation about what the future would bring, leaving us with the paradoxical wish that time would both slow down so as to enjoy the last days of high school and speed up in anticipation of summer and college.

Two alumnae, Amanda Doyle Bouvier ’95 and Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75, who currently work at LA in the Development Office, wrapped up the breakfast with anecdotes of their own and advised the seniors to remember “where you came from and that we still love you here.” The final act of the Senior Breakfast was the signing of the alumni book, a tradition that began in 1964 to maintain the sense of the LA community even after graduation. The seniors were called up by table and asked to sign their names into the book, making them official alumni members, as Mr. Moore and Mr. Foster congratulated them. They then walked down the line of Alumni Council members and trustees, shaking their hands before spilling out onto the tented lawn.

Jenny Weil, Rebecca Gilbert, Matt Baldino, Boyd Green, and Bridget Flynn hold the banner for their class at the Senior Breakfast, as they will now serve as class agents to the Alumni Council.

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around LA

Where did they go? Jared Acquaviva – Ringling College of Art and Design

Wei Lu Guo – McGill University

Shannon Saywell – Smith College

Cyrus Hamer – Clarkson University

Jacob Schechter – Gap year

Cynthia Alexandre – Fairfield University

Nathaniel Heilbron – Trinity College

Hailey Scott – Drexel University

Sydney Bagley – Lehigh University

Conor Helfrich – Tufts University

Jamarcus Shelton – University of Kentucky

Matthew Baldino – Norwich University

Kelsey Hutchinson – Mount Holyoke College

Maren Mei Siu – St. Olaf College

William Beck – Lewis & Clark College

Geoffrey Keane – Trinity College

Olivia Sommer – Connecticut College

Gabriel Bishop – University of St. Andrews (Scotland)

Kevin Barrett Kelly – Oberlin College

Victoria Stabile – Marquette University

Courtney Kendall – University of New England

Cooper Stone – University of New Hampshire

Connor Kilian – Oberlin College

Ruta Strazdis – Boston University

Jacob Knox – Fairfield University

Suttipong Suttapitugsakul – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Samuel Botero – Occidental College Steven Bourdelais – Syracuse University Emily Bovenzi – Miami University, Oxford Anabel Brighton – University of Mary Washington

Chih-Yun Kuo – Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Brady Burns – University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Chi Ho Lee – Boston University

Giang Thanh Huong Than – Northeastern University

Madeleine Caron – Saint Michael's College

Kuo-Chen Liao – Fashion Institute of Technology

Alexander Cates – Drew University

Alexandra Thornton – Parsons The New School for Design

Yuhan Cheng – University of San Francisco

Brendan Mannion – Southern New Hampshire University

Yeong Jin Choi – Indiana University at Bloomington

Cynthia McKie – Le Moyne College

Michael Titcomb – Stonehill College

Chase Conklin – University of Rochester

Molly McNulty – Dickinson College

Devin Tringale – Harvard University

Vail Cort – Gettysburg College

Brett McQuaide – The University of Tampa

Anna Demasi – Clarkson University

William Messa – Gap year

Alexander Twogood – University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Katharine Denault – Roger Williams University

Kimberly Miller – Chatham University

Alexandra Vassilakos – Ithaca College

Andrea Fei – College of the Holy Cross

Judson Mitchell – Champlain College

Ashley Vesci – Robert Morris University

Levi Feigenbaum – Loyola University Chicago

Erin Maeve Morrison – Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Mary Katherine Waldie – Union College

Cassie Feinberg – Boston University Luis Fernandez – Boston University

Sara Mushinski – Boston University

Michael Ferris – The College of Wooster

Kyle Ojemann – Gordon College

Hung-Jui Wei – Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Matthew Fineberg – Boston University

Luke Olsen – Gap year

Jennifer Weil – Brandeis University

Bridget Flynn – Union College

Su Yeon Park – The George Washington University

Jacob Whaley – Roger Williams University

Sean Foster – Colgate University

Emily Plowman – University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Eric White – Susquehanna University

Katherine Quebec – Norwich University

William Wickerham – St. Lawrence University

William Grant Reichel – Stonehill College

Hanna Williamson – Bryant University

Jordan Rodriguez – Sacred Heart University

Kevin Wnukowski – American International College

Nathan Fritz – Colgate University Rebecca Gilbert – Pitzer College Jaclyn Gordon – James Madison University Boyd Green – Tufts University (College of Liberal Arts)

Julia Tesoro – The George Washington University

Maxwell Tishman – Wake Forest University

Hailey Wall – Union College

Tyler Whitney – Gap year

Teresa Russell – University of Rochester

Renee Wysopal – Trinity College

Emily Gregoire – Skidmore College

Peter Ryder – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Ryan Zapolski – Ithaca College

Kevin Chia-Yung Gu – Bryant University

Punrada Saengsomboon – Bard College

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alumni

Alumni Association Hello Alumni, Students, Parents, and Friends of LA, Once again, summer in New England seems to be flying by. Just last May, I had the pleasure of seeing old friends during the reunion weekend. It was a wonderful occasion with perfect weather. Campus seemed to be quieting down—graduation had come and gone, and the seniors had already left as newly added members of our alumni community, soon to be freshmen again in other places. I wish them all great success in the next chapter of their lives and look forward to seeing them at upcoming alumni events.

t, uncil presiden 7, Alumni Co ’89 on et Rick Tyson ’8 pl m Te mpolieto and Valerie Ca uncil past president ni Co um Al , 6) ’1 (P

As we near September, we at Lawrence Academy think about what the year will bring. I am NEVER one to hurry our precious summer months along, but as the president of the Alumni Council, I cannot help but look ahead to the 2012-2013 academic year with great anticipation. First and foremost, we all have the privilege of welcoming Dan Scheibe and his family to campus as he assumes the role of head of school. Dan has an impressive background and years of experience in secondary school education. It will be a pleasure to work with Dan and have the opportunity to introduce him to our alumni at on-campus and off-campus events.

In addition, I want to take this opportunity to make you all aware of the upcoming initiatives that the Alumni Council is planning for 2012-2013. To our alumni: Please keep an eye open for events in and around the communities in which many of you live. We have a wonderful team of alumni ambassadors around the country who assist us with coordinating receptions in your area when a return trip to campus may otherwise be too far away. Around New England, we will host a number of events for you to connect with one another and hear what is happening at LA. These events will include periodic breakfast meetings and after-work receptions in Boston and other cities and towns. I would also like to tell you about the Gagné Classic Golf Tournament, which is scheduled to be held on Monday, October 1. This is a great event for alumni, parents, and friends to join together for a day of golf and an evening of camaraderie. All proceeds support the Winterim Fund, which, as we all know, is such a wonderful program for Lawrence Academy. To our current students: My colleagues and I look forward to seeing you this year during our visits to campus. You are not alumni yet, but I invite you to partake in a number of on-campus initiatives that we will be coordinating this year. These initiatives will include the Alumni Career Night, where LA alumni speak to you about the growth and development of their careers after LA. Finally, I am very fortunate to have Sue Meenan Barron ’86 (P ’14) as the Alumni Council vice president and a fantastic group of Council members to work with. Thankfully, their energy and commitment to Lawrence Academy are never in short supply, as it is going to be a busy year. I have served on the Alumni Council for 10 years and most enjoy the opportunity to regularly visit campus and hear updates about all that is happening day to day at the school. It is a mix of old, familiar traditions and new, exciting initiatives. Allow us on the Alumni Council to be able to share this with you wherever you are. All the best to you until then. Sincerely, Rick Tyson ’87 Alumni Council President

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alumni

April 12, 2012–A day in the life of Lawrence Academy alumni Boston Business Breakfast Early in the morning, alumni gathered for a networking breakfast at the Boston College Club in the heart of Boston’s financial district. Rick Tyson’87 presided over the meeting while Chairman of the Board of Trustees Bruce MacNeil ’70 spoke to the group about the state of the school, including the NEASC self-study and the selection process for new Head of School Dan Scheibe. L–R: Dave Bourret ’72, Matt Heath ’98, Corey Peterson ’02, Geoff Harlan, director of annual giving, Rick Tyson ’87, Alumni Council president, Bruce MacNeil ’70, trustee, Dave Bresnahan ’86, Kristen Schmidt ’02, Amanda Doyle-Bouvier ’98, assistant director of alumni relations, Dave Mazza ’01, Chad Tyson ’91, Phil Sjogren ’01. Not pictured (taking the photo) Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75, director of alumni relations.

Paul Wennick ’56

Career Night Later that evening, Ruth Glazer White ’76 (P ’15, trustee and Alumni Council member) conducted a special evening for the students about careers for those who earn a liberal arts degree. Thirty students and eleven alumni held a lively discussion about employment opportunities and ways to prepare for the interview process. Alumni participants: Ruth Glazer White ’76, Paul Wennick ’56, Amanda Doyle-Bouvier ’98 (assistant director of alumni relations), Sean Sheehan ’87 (History Department chair and director of college counseling), Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75 (director of alumni relations), Scott Brewitt ’82, Abby Myette ’00, Al Brink ’98, Jim Patierno ’01, Linda Weeks ’97, and Danny Roop ’06

Our exclusive LA Alumni App just went LIVE! On your smart phone, you can now….Search for alumni near you, wherever you are......Keep up to date with current LA news and events....Open the door to future networking possibilities....Stay connected, stay engaged with your alma mater.

Just launched to our Alumni Community! • Once you have uploaded the free app onto your device, you will be asked to enter your name and email address. Please be sure to enter the email address that we have on file for you here at LA. • Next, you will be prompted to open your email and find the verification email from EverTrue. If you do not see the email in your inbox, be sure to check your spam folder. • Follow the steps as stated in the email and you will then have access to the app. • Play around, get acquainted with the different functions, and most importantly, enjoy your new LA Alumni App!

We are pleased to introduce our free LA Alumni App for iPhone and Android users. This easy-to-use app will be all you need to stay in touch with classmates, friends, and everything that is LA. To access LA news, events, social media, a full interactive alumni directory, and more, just follow these quick steps: • Go to the app store on your device and search for Lawrence Academy Alumni.

Please email Amanda Doyle-Bouvier ’98 with any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions. adoyle@lacademy.edu

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LA Alumni Gather for Reunion The planning began nearly a year ago. The search for 2s and 7s began in earnest. Class coordinators started to spread the word by mouth, Facebook, and Twitter, and the Development Office at LA began preparing for Reunion Weekend 2012. The weather cooperated and on Friday, May 18, a gentle breeze and glorious sunshine ushered back to campus Golden Alumni, from the classes of 1947–1962. The alumni visited classes in the morning and enjoyed a luncheon at Park House hosted by Interim Head of School Greg Foster, his wife Pati, and Chairman of the Heading to the Dining Hall for the Alumni/Faculty Appreciation Luncheon Board of Trustees Bruce MacNeil ’70. LA’s choral group, SLACS, opened up the Golden Alumni luncheon with a popular 50s song, “Good Night Sweetheart.” “The school is in terrific shape,” said Mr. Foster. “We’ve enjoyed a very productive year, have just completed the first step of the NEASC accreditation process, and are in the midst of actively planning for the future, including building several new faculty homes, for which the construction is already underway.”

Chris and the Boomers, Friday night’s band, featuring LA’s own Peter “Haz” Hazzard (P ’91, ’98, ’01, 03)

The Golden Alumni spent the afternoon touring campus and visiting the school’s archival display at the Jeffers Heritage Center. The Class of ’62 planted a tree in honor of their 50th reunion, accompanied by Rob Moore, Richmond and Edi Baker, and George Peabody. Many of the alumni reconnected and enjoyed an afternoon at leisure at Park House, catching up on their lives and reminiscing about their LA experience. By mid-afternoon Friday, the doors to the Schoolhouse were thrown open to all alumni from classes ending in 2s or 7s to register for Reunion Weekend. A steady stream of LA alumni made their way into the Schoolhouse and then spent the afternoon gathering on the Quad, attending athletic events, and visiting the dorms and school buildings, both old and new. The Friday night reception took place on the McDonald Library terrace

Tom Warner ’75 Memorial 5K Walk/Run

Front Row kneeling L–R: Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75, Sarah Romac, Christopher Russell ’80, Connor Warner, Chris Ellsasser (faculty), Back Row L–R: Vic Laushine ’74, Patrick Warner ’80, Kathryn Maynes ’74, Rich Johnson ’74, Sarah Klopfer ’02, Lindsay Murdock ’02, Richard Whipple ’87, Deb Baker Gray ’74, Melissa Gray Romac ’74, former Head of School Ben Williams III (P’82, 84), Kevin Keady ’80, Nicole DiCello, Kevin Simonton, Julie DiCello, Nancy Felmeister, Jason Rakip ’92, Stephanie Clark ’93, Mimi Bell Rainford ’92, Catie Floyd McMenamin ’97, and Tony Sampas ’74

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

alumni R EUN IO N W EEKEN D return of girls in our senior year, making Lawrence coeducational for the first time since 1898…especially venturesome during turbulent social times, and a true credit to our young headmaster (Ben Williams), the faculty, and the whippersnappers who had to ease up on the whips and snaps.” Melissa Gray Romac ’74 summed up her Saturday at LA by saying, “I had a great time at Reunion seeing classmates and teachers. The Tom Warner run was very meaningful, especially with my daughter motivating me along the way, and the ‘Suits to Skirts’ presentation was especially poignant.” Assistant Head of School Rob Moore (P ’04, ’06, ’09)

Later in the afternoon, the Black Box Theatre played host to the alumni dance performance which featured incredibly talented alumni dancers, Amanda Doyle-Bouvier ’98, Tony Guglietti ’94, Daniela Borgialli ’86, and Clarissa Fadiman Eaton ’86, who entertained alumni with such dances as ballet, modern, and Argentine tango. Meanwhile, on the playing fields, alumni gathered at Saturday baseball and lacrosse games and tennis matches against Noble and Greenough School. At the JV baseball game, one of the oldest returning alumni, “Dizzy” Dean Ellis ’42, threw out the first pitch. Many alumni also joined Rob Moore, Dick Gagné, and other past faculty at the Remembrance Garden in moments of silence and reflection as they remembered those alumni, staff, and faculty who passed away this year.

Patrick Warner ’80

overlooking the stunning views of Gibbet Hill, with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, including the Spring Spartan Spirit signature drink. The mood was set with good time rock ’n’ roll music, courtesy of Chris and the Boomers, and featured LA’s own Peter “Haz” Hazzard. Saturday morning began with an informal gathering in the head of school’s office for a discussion about the state of the school. By 10:00 a.m., a group of 30 hardy LA alumni, faculty, former faculty, family, and friends gathered near Grant Rink, ready to run or walk in the Tom Warner ’75 Memorial 5K. At the Alumni Faculty Awards Luncheon, our master of ceremonies, Rob Moore, recognized faculty with over 20 years of service to LA as well as those legendary retired faculty who returned to reconnect with visiting alumni. This year, Jesika Jeune Clerge ’03 presented the Faculty Appreciation Award (voted on by alumni) to Laura Laura Rogerson Moore (P ’04, ’06, ’09), Moore for her 29 years of English Department chair, NEASC devoted service to LA and her coordinator, Intervention Team chair students. Alumni Judi Martin Cyr ’82, Catie Floyd McMenamin ’97, and Rick Tyson ’87 were also honored with the Amos Lawrence Awards for their alumni participation and years of volunteer service to LA. Rob Moore recognized our three attending heads of school, former Headmaster Ben Williams, current Interim Head of School Greg Foster, and incoming Head of School Dan Scheibe. Joe Hegarty ’38, who attended with his son T.J. Hegarty ’70, represented our oldest alumni to return for the reunion.

On Saturday afternoon, jazzy musical sounds from LA trombone player Cornelius Griffith ’14 and his teacher, Steve Peisch, summoned guests to cocktails on the Park House lawn. Next, guests gathered on the Alumni Quad and Elm Tree lawn for a bluegrass barbeque and bonfire under a Camelot-style tent,

Suits to Skirts: 40 Years of Women at LA Moderator Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75 (director of alumni relations), then and now

Immediately following lunch, approximately 40 alumni and past and current faculty gathered in the Recital Hall to participate in the “Suits to Skirts” presentation, which chronicled 40 years of women at LA. The presentation was facilitated by Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75 and included panel discussions from alumni over the past four decades, along with Dick Jeffers, Joe Sheppard, Laura Moore, Ben Williams, David Smith, Donna Mastrangelo, Mary Mitchell, Tanya Sheppard, and Sue McKenna. Geoff Cronin ’72 described the event as “a spirited interactive reflection on the

Participants in the presentation, former Head of School Ben Williams III (P ’82, ’84), Dick Jeffers (P ’84, ’86) and Joe Sheppard (P ’93, ’94)

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Alumni Dance Performance

Amanda Doyle-Bouvier ’98 and Tony Guglietti ’94

Clarissa Fadiman Eaton ’86 with her daughter Tatiana Eaton and her former student Amanda Doyle-Bouvier ’98

Brian Feigenbaum (P ’09, ’12) and Tony Guglietti ’94

Daniella Borgialli ’86 and her partner Rommel Oramas performing the Argentine Tango

classmates, to thank a past teacher, and to reconnect with the LA of today. It is as if those youthful student faces from their LA days are just below the surface of the men and women they have become today.”

featuring music by Jimmy Ryan and Hayride. Inbetween class photos, shrimp on the barbie, and s’mores, Interim Director of Development Chris Margraf livened up the group with fun awards that celebrated those alumni from furthest away, those classes with the most attendance, and those classes who have exceeded expectations with greatest participation and generous donations to the Alumni Fund. “Saturday night was a perfect ending to a glorious Reunion Weekend,” said Director of Alumni Relations Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75, “where approximately 215 alumni, family members, and friends gathered for various events, along with current and past faculty. Alumni come back to Reunion to revisit the campus, to remember the stories of their days here, to reminisce with

Reggie Sledge ’72 celebrated his 40th reunion with 16 other classmates. His class had a unique experience at LA, as they crossed the lines from the last years of all boys to the first year of coed LA. “I had a wonderful time and a great experience attending the LA reunion,” said Reggie who, along with Pete Hazzard and Chris Margraf, led us all in the school song. “In fact, it was a life-changing experience.” LA looks forward to seeing Reggie and all the other classes of 2s and 7s in another five years, if not sooner.

Jay Doe ’72, Eliot Tucker ’72, Corey Finkelstein ’72, Mike McCartin ’72, Geoff Cronin ’72, and Mark LaPorte ’72

L-R: Talia Rosenblum ’02, Lauren Uhlig ’02, Assistant Head of School Rob Moore (P ’04, ’06, ’09), Steph Middleton Marcoux ’02, Sean Marlaire, and Jeff Marcoux

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Ralph Bianchi ’47 and Irma Bianchi (P ’71, ’73), and Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75 (director of alumni relations)

Jim Sokolove ’62 and Ruth Glazer White ’76 (P ’15, trustee and Alumni Council member and past president)

Conny Michel ’52 and Ralph Bianchi ’47

Mike Levine ’87, Jon Wye ’72, Reggie Sledge ’72, Debra Connolly, and Richard Whipple ’87

John Chiungos ’67 and Gordon Sewall ’67 (trustee and former faculty)

Irene Coons, Mike Coons ’72, and Joe & Tanya Sheppard (P ’93, ’94, former faculty)

Ralph Hancewicz ‘62

Scott Brewitt ’82 and Lisa Mecray Rogers ’82

Jay Doe ’72, Sally Sterndale Morse ’72, Eliot Tucker ’72, Jim Reynolds ’72, and Reggie Sledge ’72

Corinna Knepper Troth ’92, Jeff Leahy ’92, and Althea Anagnostopoulos Harrington ’92

Lindsay Murdock ’02 and Jesika Jeune Clergé ‘03

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Alumni Council President Rick Tyson ’87, son Matthew (4) and daughter Ella (2)

Amanda Doyle-Bouvier ’98, assistant director of alumni relations

Ed Szylvian ’72 and Mike Coons ’72

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Edi Baker (P ’74), former faculty Bill Mees, former Head of School Ben Williams III (P ’82, ’84), and former faculty Richmond Baker (P ’74)

Sally Sterndale Morse ’72 and Eliot Tucker ’72

Dan Beauchemin ’97 and former faculty Joe Sheppard (P ’93, ’94)

Fritz Mark ’62 (former faculty), Jim Sokolove ’62, Jim Harley ’62, Ken MacAuley ’62 (P ’87, ’88, ’91), Stephen Jones ’62

Bob Grey ’53 and Joan and Conrad Michel ’52

Betsy Wieland Veidenheimer ’82, Judi Martin Cyr ’82 (trustee), and Karen Mitchell Brandvold ’82

Warren Reich ‘57

Trustees Cathy Frissora (P ’95, ’96) and Greta Donahue (P ’98)

Former faculty Richmond Baker (P ’74) and George Peabody (P ’84, ’86, ’88)

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Jim Reynolds ’72

Polly Phillips Gilbert ’87 and Dene Hofheinz Lee ’87

Joe Hegarty ’38 and his son T.J. Hegarty ’70

Former faculty Tanya Sheppard (P ’93, ’94) and Monika Whipple (P ’87, ’88, ’89)

Head of School Dan Scheibe

Fritz Mark ’62 (former faculty) and wife, Sharon

alumni ClassNotes 1943 Art Kingsbury writes, “Best news I have is that I’m still around at 94! Hope the Academy has a great year!”

1951 Ray Handfield is still conducting the Callanwolde Concert Band. A June 3rd concert honored all military service members and included Morton Gould’s “West Point Symphony.”

60th Reunion 1952 Bert Barton writes, “I retired from Union Carbide, Dow Chemical, in 2001 after 37 years. Diana and I now live in Westborough, Massachusetts, near three of our four children and three Bert Barton ’52 grandchildren, who live within 25 miles. Diana retired after 50 years as a registered nurse. We both are members of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Westborough and are very involved in many church boards and groups. We travel to Naples, Florida, for February and March each year, but return in early March so I can do some spring skiing in New Hampshire. Soon I will be able to ski for FREE. At LA, I remember smoking in the area outside Waters House, driving Mr. Grant’s car on errands for him, and having Mrs. Grant (Catherine) be like a mother to me and keep me on the correct path. She remained a close friend to both of us until she passed away a

few years ago. We always called Mrs. Grant. Many thanks to Bob Shepherd and others for guiding me to Bowdoin College Class of 1956. I served as 1st Lt. in the US Army, Ranger Airborne during the Korean War.” Bob Kessler “Currently I split my time between Florida and Massachusetts. I continue to work and am now involved in my son's business. I truly enjoy the day-today connection I have with our future and current customers. I have great positive remembrances of Lawrence Academy. Even though I do not have continuous contact with all of my classmates, I particularly enjoyed Gerry Silverstain ’52, Jack Whittier ’52, Connie Michel ’52, Phil Tierney ’52, Larry Chester ’52, Ed Hunt ’52, Fred Nickerson ’52 , Nils Larson ’52, and most recently Reid Wiseman ’52. I also have positive memories of all of our masters. I look forward to seeing you at the reunion.” Doc Murphy taught in Florida for four years and in South Carolina for 26, retiring in 1994 from Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina, as a Professor Philip Tierney ’52 Emeritus. He lives in Florida for the winter and in Maine for the summer. He writes that he likes to “fish, bike, walk, drink whiskey, read, and gamble on horse races. Mr. Arthur Ferguson was my favorite teacher. He was my inspiration to go to college at age 26 years, eight years after leaving LA. Mr. Ferguson was truly a remarkable human being.”

Class of 1962: L–R: Jim Sokolove ’62, Jeff Simmons ’62, Ken MacAuley ’62 (P ’87, ’88, ’91), Stephen Jones ’62, Jim Harley ’62, former faculty Richmond Baker (P ’74), Rod Eaton ’62, Edi Baker (P ’74) and former faculty George Peabody (P ’84, ’86, ’88) ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

1960 Elliott Zide has retired as a Fitchburg judge after 26 years on the bench. He did not want to leave, but at age 70, he has to under Massachusetts General Law. In a recent interview he stated that what judges primarily do is meddle in people’s lives. He went on to say that you must have good reason to do it and be very careful how you do it. As he is quoted in the Sentinel and Enterprise, “A judge’s role is to make fair and impartial judgments free from influence and bias in a deliberative way.” Elliott was a notable debater while at LA. He received his Bachelor of Arts in History from Duke University in 1964 and worked as a chemist in a paper company in Fitchburg for a year before going to Boston University to study law. He graduated and passed the bar exam in 1968. After working at small law offices in Boston and Gardner, he opened his own law firm in Fitchburg in 1971 and became a judge in 1986. Daughter Shanna Zide graduated from LA in 1991.

50th Reunion 1962 Jim Sokolove became the class scribe for this reunion. He and Ken MacAuley gathered a wealth of information from many of their classmates. Many thanks to both of them for all of their efforts.

Jim Sokolove ’62

Derek Brown lives near Berkeley and works in sales in the wine industry. He is a political activist and enjoys outdoor hiking. He has three children and his oldest daughter is getting married this summer. Mike Chase received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He was the director of operations for Harris Corp. in the Information Systems Division and then ran operations for several high-tech start-ups until 2007. Mike then started his own small business running recreational adult ice hockey activities—NH Redline Hockey LLC. He has a wife, three sons, one daughter, and 15 grandkids. Mike’s two sons attended Lawrence Academy, Steven Chase ’93 and Andrew Chase ’94.

Jim DiClemente is a golfer and shoots in the high 80s. He was in sales and has been married for 45 years; his wife works on an admissions board and they have two children and two grandchildren. He has lived in Andover his whole life and likes to travel with family. They have been to Atlantis 18 times! Jim enjoys going to Foxwoods, where he plays craps and blackjack. He is glad to have gone to Lawrence Academy. His wife went to Windsor, their son attended Governor Dummer Academy, and their daughter went to public school.

in Connecticut after a 31-year run at Providence Country Day School in East Providence, Rhode Island, interrupted only by two years in the Army and a sabbatical year teaching at the American School in London. He has been married to Florence Eaton since 1968 and has two daughters, Seana Eaton Miller, whose mother is Rod’s first wife Carol McGarry, and Sara Eaton Antoine. He also has one grandson, Benjamin Francis Miller, born in November of 2011. He was thrilled to be back at LA for his 50th reunion.

Michael Dunn wraps up his life so far: “After graduating from LA, I went to the University of Pennsylvania, from which I graduated in 1969 after interrupting my studies with a three-year stint with Uncle Sam’s Army in Germany. I married and my wife Jane and I taught school for four and a half years while we developed an antique business. Eventually, we were able to participate full time in antiques while raising a daughter and a son and restoring two 18thcentury Dutch brick Colonial houses, built in 1767 and 1789, respectively. Following Jane’s death, I remarried a lovely lady from China, Wurui, and together we began focusing on Chinese antiques.

Ed Guthrie has a message to his fellow classmates of ’62: “Unfortunately, I will not be able to make this class reunion date. Our family has made our annual fishing trip reservation 10 months in advance for June Lake, California, the week before Memorial Day holiday. We always get in and out before all the crazy fishermen show up. I have a handicapped son who is only able to do a few things in life. This is something he loves to do (fishing with his dad). By the way, he is good because Dad makes sure he is successful. I am still working at Fluor Corporation doing heavy industrial scheduling (mainly for power and solar plants). Solar projects are easy, just big, like 3-1/2 square miles with 900,000 solar panels. I am sad that I will miss all the stories of how all our lives have transformed the world into a better place to live and all the success or challenges we have had from when we graduated from LA to today. May I make a recommendation, since we are a class of the ’60s, let’s make our 60th reunion the next big reunion date!”

We moved from Hudson River Valley to Wiscasset, Maine, five years ago and thoroughly enjoy living here, spring through autumn, and spending our winters in chilly Beijing (Maine is quiet then). My daughter Marsha is married, in graduate school, and lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. My son Phil is an architect practicing in Beijing, China. Like all of us, I am getting older, but enjoy fond memories of Lawrence Academy and occasionally I like to drive through the campus.” Rod Eaton attended Brown University and received his degree in history with the Class of ’66. He did graduate work (though no degrees) at Brown, URI, and Rhode Island College. His careers included teaching history, economics, and AP economics, and coaching lacrosse and some cross country. Rod has also worked in college counseling since 1988. He is in his 15th year at Pomfret School Rod Eaton ’62

Ralph Hancewicz is a town moderator and taught high school English for 31 years at Hampshire Regional High School. He enjoys spending time with his woodworking hobby business. He enjoyed being back on campus with his classmates for their 50th reunion. Jim Harley attended Fitchburg State College, where he received a B.S. in Education, and the University of Lowell, where he received a CAGS in Accounting. He was a social studies teacher from 1970 to 1982, and is currently a real estate sales broker/owner. He has two sons, Matthew and Jim Harley ’62 Christopher, and three

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

grandchildren, Patrick, Sam, and Kristen. Jim’s hobbies include golf, duplicate bridge, travel, and exercise. His significant life experiences since LA have been European travel, success in real estate, and divorce. Jim has been a licensed real estate agent and Realtor since 1985, holding a broker’s license in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and now in North Carolina. He also holds a certified buyer representative (CBR) designation. His focus during much of this time was in management and the mentoring of other real estate professionals, which came naturally having taught for 10 years at the secondary school level. In October 2004, Jim and his wife Ginny sold two successful RE/MAX franchises in Leominster and Groton, Massachusetts. Both reside in Seven Lakes West, having moved from Massachusetts two years ago. It is Jim’s intention to continue his passion for real estate in the Sandhills. Jim enjoyed sharing stories at his 50th reunion. Steve Jones retired to Healdsburg, California, three years ago after spending 47 years in electronic media with tenures at ABC, Cox, and Granite in Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. “My retirement now includes Stephen Jones ’62 working on my golf handicap, traveling, photography, and spending as much time as possible with my four children and six grandchildren, who reside in San Diego and Carmel. It is hard to believe it has been 50 years since I completed my so memorable four years at LA. Too many of the memories are not printable, but the one outstanding highlight remains the incredible friendships I cherish. Yes, we did test the boundaries and rewrote the laws, but these experiences made me a better person as I progressed through life. The Class of ’62 excelled with new standards of prep school ‘libations and liberations.’ Four years is a short time to prepare and

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alumni

ClassNotes

mature for that big awaiting college opportunity. I, for one, moved from a school of 200 to a university of 38,000. LA did prepare me to meet and excel in the many challenges that came my way. Thanks, LA, for the memories, the education, and the amazing experiences.” Diran Kradjian attended University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and was a foreclosure expert in Philadelphia. He formed a mortgage company and moved back to Binghamton, New York, where he went into the office real estate business. He has two children, a son who went to Villanova and a daughter who works with him. He is also an art dealer who collects antiques and antique cars, especially Citroens. Ken MacAuley has three grown children and seven grandchildren and happily remarried eight years ago. He has a part-time job with the Census Bureau, plays a “really bad game of golf,” and has just begun to write a little fiction. Ken would go back to LA in a heartbeat and in fact, was able to send his three kids (Mark MacAuley ’87, Jennifer MacAuley Lucas ’88, and Hope MacAuley ’91) to the elm tree-shaded hillside, where they all had great experiences. LA was a time in his life when a lot of things were working for him. Ken would like most to be remembered as a great dad—it was “the best job I ever had.” Ken was happy to be reunited with classmates at his 50th reunion, also attended by his son, Mark, who came back for his 25th. Griffin “Fritz” Mark has been an English teacher at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut, since 1982. Prior to that, he was a teacher at Lawrence Academy (19651967), worked at Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York (1968-1973), and then returned to teaching at The Hill School (1971-1978) and Canberra Grammar School (1978-1982). Fritz attended Carleton College, where he received an MA in Philosophy, Ancient Greek; Boston University, where he received an MA in Philosophy (ABD); and University of Connecticut where he received an MA in Comparative Literature. He was married to Deborah Sethness from 1965 to 2000 and has four children: Michael Follow us on twitter http://twitter.com/lawrenceacademy

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(who lives in Australia), Timothy (who lives in New Zealand), Erika (who lives in Oregon), and Andrew (who lives in Canada). He got remarried to Sharon Monroe in 2010 and has five grandchildren. Fritz would attend Lawrence again. In his words, “As a student, the faculty gave me support and encouragement at a time in my life when I needed it, especially people like Don Morse, Dick Gagné, Alan Whipple, Arthur Ferguson, and Joe Sheppard. Teaching there for two years after graduation gave me a love of teaching that has lasted a lifetime.” Doug Perry has lived in California since 1980, residing north of Sacramento, and is a retired chief financial officer who was with General Electric for 18 years. He is married and has two children who are 31 and 33 and also has grandchildren. Doug is a bridge player and was in the Navy for four years after U. Mass. (where he successfully petitioned to make the dorms co-ed). Jeff Simmons is a psychiatrist with over 20 years experience in private practice. His wife Patty is also a psychiatrist. They have a son, William, who went to Belmont Hill School and is now a screenJeff Simmons ’62 writer. Jeff ran and closed Danvers State Hospital Department of Mental Health and now oversees behavioral health for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Jeff was glad to be reunited at the reunion with his old singing partner from the LA Quartet, Rod Eaton ’62. Ron Spring spent four years at Gettysburg College after Lawrence, followed by two years in the Army. He married Gayle McKenna, a native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1967. After his Army years, they spent two years at Syracuse while he got an MBA. Ron spent the next 31 years in finance with GTE in many different states (Mass., Conn., Cal., and Tex. among others). They now reside in Plymouth, Massachusetts, so they are closer to their three daughters, their daughters’ husbands, and eight grandchildren. Ron is keeping busy volunteering at Pilgrim Hall Museum. Josh Vernaglia is a tax attorney and lives in a retirement community in Boston. His daughter-in-law, Kristen Ryan Vernaglia ’94, also went to LA. ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Clark Wrye worked for a pharmaceutical company and retired in 1998. He currently works at the Loon Mountain rental shop in winters and travels during the summertime. Clark has two sons, one is in the Naval Academy and the other works in IT in Georgia.

Luther Lawrence— The Man Who Inspired the Portrait An account of Luther Lawrence, second mayor of Lowell and elder brother of Samuel and Amos, founders of Lawrence Academy, is provided by Paul Husted ’64: “Deacon Samuel Lawrence was one of the founders of Groton Academy (LA’s former name). Luther Lawrence was the oldest child of Deacon Samuel. All eight of Deacon Lawrence’s children attended the Academy. Luther graduated from Harvard in the class of 1801. He became a prominent lawyer in town, mayor of Lowell from 1838 until his death, followed in his father’s footsteps as an Academy trustee from 1811 to 1839, and was president of the board from 1830 to 1839. Luther Lawrence was the first alumnus to become a trustee. He was the representative for Groton in the Massachusetts General Court for 12 years and was Speaker of the House in 1822. He moved to Lowell in 1831. He was chairman of a committee that recommended that Lowell be chartered as a city in 1836. Luther died April 17, 1839, falling into an open wheel pit while showing his brother-in-law, Tyler Bigelow, around the Middlesex Mill.”

L–R: Dan Scheibe, head of school, Patrick O. Murphy, Mayor of Lowell, Paul Husted ’64, and Dick Jeffers

1964 Paul Husted is currently volunteering in the Jeffers Heritage Center at LA, working with Dick Jeffers in the archives. One of their recent projects was restoring a painting of Luther Lawrence who, besides his involvement with Lawrence Academy also served as the second mayor of Lowell. On July 25, Dick and Paul accompanied by Head of School Dan Scheibe, presented a copy of the recently restored painting of Luther Lawrence to Lowell’s Mayor Patrick O. Murphy. (see box at left)

1967 Jeff Hamilton reports, “I am living in Wilmington, North Carolina, where I retired from my position at MIT as associate professor and men’s tennis and squash coach. My wife Margaret and I lived in New England for 34 years, including 10 years in Concord, Massachusetts, four years in Hanover while working at Dartmouth, and 17 years in Belmont while working at MIT. We have two children, our daughter, Caroline, who lives in New York City and our son, Jeff Jr., who lives in Boston. We love the climate and lifestyle that the southeast coast provides, especially the access to the beach and golf course. In fact, I have made a rather complete transition from tennis to golf. We also love to travel and recently returned from a fabulous trip to Scotland. If any of you find your way to the Tar Heel State, please stop by for a round of golf.”

40th Reunion

retired, because I am staying busy with a number of freelance and independent writing and editing projects. This March I even got back into sports writing by covering the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament for various newspapers in Connecticut, Fresno, California, and Atlanta, Georgia, who did not travel with their local college teams. I am also continuing my work as a soccer referee, officiating in youth and adult leagues in the area. In the near future, my wife Irene, who retired from Verizon in 2010, and I are looking forward to doing some more traveling. Last year we finally made it to Italy; in the last few years, we have also visited Las Vegas, Nova Scotia, the Banff area of western Canada, Mount Rushmore, and Alaska.” Mike, Jeff Reynolds ’72, and Eliot Tucker ’72 gathered a total of 16 alumni from their class to return for their 40th reunion. Michael McCartin, who also returned to campus with alums for his 40th reunion, gave a brief update, “I currently reside between Lexington, Massachusetts, and Osterville; raising two children, Michael, Jr. (Johns Hopkins ’15) and Katherine Joy (LHS ’14); celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary in September to Nancy (Taverna) McCartin; and I work as VP-global marketing in the cardiac surgery business for Maquet Cardiovascular.”

1973 Aaron Brown creates masterpieces from wood and metal in the hills of Lyndebrorough, New Hampshire. His recent sculpture, Color, won

Aaron T. Brown ’73 in his studio

Best of Show for the sculpture category at the 79th Annual Craftsmen’s Fair at Sunapee. Jon Ladd ’73 told Aaron that he would pick him up on his way south to their 40th reunion in 2013. Meg LaVigne In Burbank, on January 20, 2012, Dave Morgan, president and CEO of Litton Entertainment, announced the appointment of Meg LaVigne as president of television for Litton Entertainment. “LaVigne has served in several key management positions at Litton including the vice-president of communications and the vice-president of sales and strategy of Litton News Source. In her new senior

1972 Mike Coons wrote, “After 35 years in a journalism career that has taken me from New England to Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, and back to North Carolina, I decided last year to take a buyout from my newspaper, The News & Observer, in Raleigh, North Carolina, and become a gentleman of leisure. Officially I consider myself semi-

Mike Coons ’72 in Venice

Class of 1972: Front row, kneeling L-R: Geoff Cronin, Anthony Carr, Mike McCartin, Jim Reynolds, and former Head of School Ben Williams III (P ’82, 84); Back row, standing L–R: Mike Coons, Jay Doe, Everett Warner, Howie Bronson, Dave Bourret, Jonathan Wye, Reggie Sledge, Eliot Tucker, Corey Finkelstein, and Mark LaPorte. Not pictured, but attending, Sally Sterndale Morse and Ed Szylvian.

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

alumni ClassNotes management position as president of television, LaVigne will lead all departments within the division including development, sales, marketing, creative services, and news.” Congratulations to Meg!

1974 Rich Johnson, at the celebration of 100 Years of Fenway Park at the JFK Library, moderated a lively panel of Red Sox aficionados, including Tom Fitzgerald, grandson of Mayor Rich Johnson ’74, author of Field of Our Honey Fitz, and Peter Fathers, at the JFK Nash, author of Boston’s Presidential Library Royal Rooters. The forum concluded with Ken Casey of Dropkick Murphy’s, describing the making of Tessie, the current Red Sox anthem. Tony Sampas, after a long hiatus, has returned to the visual arts, this time as a photographer rather than a painter. The Lowell National Historical Park sponsored his first exhibit, a photo essay of Lowell’s Civil War monuments and relics. The opening on April 15 began with a lecture, “Making Sense of the Civil War” by Richard Howe, head of deeds and records for North Middlesex County. Also, Tony’s photographs of the urban landscape have become a regular contribution to Richardhowe.com, a blog that reviews the city’s history and chronicles its political and cultural events. Although excited about his new way of expressing himself through photography, Tony is keeping his day job as an archivist and librarian for UMass Lowell.

like to spend a year in the States between his studies, so we will see what comes of that. My elder daughter, Helen, runs an estate agency in the Oxford area, selling and renting houses and flats (apartments). My younger daughter, Emma, has started early GCSEs at the local girls’ grammar school. I am not sure what she will end up doing, but mathematics is her favorite subject. I continue to juggle my legal work for local government and privately do employment law. We are off to Scotland for a week shortly where I have been researching my ancestors on my father’s side. They all lived in a small area in Dumfries and Galloway and for about six generations; the males all had the same name (first and last) as my father, so the search has been quite easy. My sister, who lives in Illinois, has been assisting with the research through the Scotland’s People website. We are off to the South of France later in the summer to a small medieval walled town, Vence, where we have been going in the summer for several years now. So generally, life is good. I have quite a few close American friends here in England so with that and keeping in contact with friends and relations in the States by Skype/webcam, I feel quite close to my American roots.” About LA, she says, “It is certainly a special place and any young person who has the opportunity to go there is truly blessed.”

1975

Catherine HerriesSmith ’75 with bulldog pups

Catherine HerriesSmith reports from England, “My son, Thomas (Tom), graduated from Bath University with a bachelor in science in architecture this summer. He is working for a local architect before progressing to the graduate level degree. His significant other is studying mathematics at Bath. Thomas would

John ’80 and Ben ’75 Lord

Ben Lord’s daughter, Louisa, got married on June 30. Ben was joined by his brother John Lord ’80 at the celebration. Ben and his family will be moving to Florida on July 20. Meg Jones Meeker has been keeping busy with family and work. “The year 2012 was a tough one. Last March my father passed from a long ordeal with Alzheimer’s (he lived here in a nursing home and my mother and I cared for him). Two months later, I had a horrific accident that put me in the hospital and then on my back for six weeks in July.

Meg Jones Meeker ’75 discussed her latest book, Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters, with Kathie Lee and Hoda on the Today Show

Then, in October, my sweet mother died suddenly. She lived right next door to me and I do not think I will ever get over her passing. She was my best friend. Aside from that, my business keeps me on the road regularly. Believe it or not, practicing medicine is kind of what I do for ‘fun’ now and writing books and speaking around the country has become my primary job. I write for Random House in New York, so I go there frequently and, of course, whenever a new book comes out, I tour pretty heavily for about a month. Besides a crazy work schedule, I have my three grown daughters in Michigan to keep me busy. No grandkids, but my Mary has been married for three years now. Charlotte lived in Indonesia for 18 months teaching (that kept me on my knees) and my other daughter Laura graduates her MSW program in the spring. Lots of fun having the girls close so that I can still be a part of their lives. Our youngest, Walter, is a junior at the University of Dayton and loves it.” Keith Mueller, after learning basic poker skills during the 1973 Winterim class “Game Strategy” with Dave Smith and Brian Smiar, and after spending hours practicing in Sheedy Hall along with the next 40+ years of Keith Mueller ’75 at the playing Hold ’Em in WSOP seedy casinos and basements, confidently entered the 2012 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. It was Follow us on twitter http://twitter.com/lawrenceacademy

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ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

the world’s largest poker event ever, with 4,280 entries. Keith was doing just fine until his “all in” bet with a set of three 5’s got beat by three Aces. Keith says, “I’m blaming Dave Smith and Brian Smiar for the loss. They did not go over a winning strategy in class on how to play that hand properly! It was a blast playing in the WSOP and to think my very first experience with poker was from that 1973 Winterim class.”

1977 Pam Eleftherio Wise reports, “All these years later, I live on Cape Cod. Most of my career over the years has been in advertising, mostly in Boston, and now is in real estate in Chatham. I am married Pam Wise ’77 and daughter Lucy Mae to another LA alum, Chris Wise ’82, whom I re-met by accident at a fairly recent reunion that was neither his class nor mine. We share two children, one a college graduate, Zoe, and the other still in preschool, Lucy Mae. (That’s not a typo.) A fond memory from back then? From what I remember, we were all the happiest human beings on the face of the earth. At least that is how I remember it. If I were to get into specifics, I might run into a word count issue.”

Larry Swezey ’78 and wife Mitsue in Sorrento

30th Reunion

Alumni gathered at the memorial service for Major Roy Warner, father of Roy Warner, Jr. ’65, Tom Warner ’75 and Patrick Warner ’80. Front row L–R: Dave Oakes ’74, Rich Johnson ’74, Greg Cope ’74, Back row L-R: Patrick Warner ’80, Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75, Eric Harry Reisman ’75, and Tony Sampas ’74

1982 Brian McKiernan writes, “I was recently promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in the United States Army. In January of this year, the Chief of Staff of the US Army appointed me as the Commandant of the United States Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Chief of Artillery for the United States Army. I am really enjoying the opportunity and responsibility of leader development and professional military education for our Army’s Field Artillery officers and soldiers.”

Jim Meyer writes, “As I approach the end of another school year, I wanted to pass on to you my thoughts, knowing there is a reunion coming up at LA. Currently, I am finishing up a year as interim head of school in Pretoria, South Africa. Years ago, I read Cry, the Beloved Country in Mr. Draper’s class. The story stuck with me and eventually compelled me to come here. While I had hoped to be back in the States in time for the reunion, my day job keeps me away. My next posting takes me to Hawaii as the principal of the Maryknoll School. Give my classmates my best!”

1978 Larry Swezey writes, “I am glad to report that life is much calmer after the traumatic year of 2011. I continue to bounce back and forth between Japan and California, dragging my sax along as much as possible to keep the music going and provide a welcome escape. Speaking of escapes, Mitsue and I managed a short round-the-world tour in May, including our first-ever visit to Italy. With both boys off the payroll, we look forward to more adventures.”

Class of 1982: Scott Brewitt, Lisa Mecray Rogers, Harrelson Stanley (P ’08) and Iain Ramage

Class of 1987: Class of 1987: Front Row L-R: Noah Caney, Brooke Strachan, Don Armstrong, Sean Sheehan, Bill Rosenblum, Back Row L-R: Assistant Head of School Rob Moore (P ’04, ’06, ’09), Michael Desmarais, Dene Hofheinz Lee, Jack Hurstak , Dave Mitchell, Polly Phillips Gilbert, Rick Tyson, Richard Whipple, Nancy Tayebi Aiken, and Nancy Hamilton ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

alumni ClassNotes Betsy (Wieland) Veidenheimer writes, “I have been back in Concord, Massachusetts, my hometown, for close to 10 years. My husband Rob and I are kept busy by our boys. Ian, 22, a senior at Brown Betsy Wieland University, and Drew, 20, Veidenheimer ’82 a sophomore at Lewis and Clark, are my step-sons. They were six and four when Rob and I married. Cam, 15, a sophomore at Concord-Carlisle High School, is on the verge of driving and Tim, 12, is turning 13 shortly. I was 13 when I started at LA, so it really is all a little scary. Sue (Meenan) Barron ’86 and Dev Barron ’85 live right down the street, and I see lots of them, as well as Darren Messina ’83. LA comes up a lot. Darren and I often reminisce, which immediately sends Rob and Darren’s wife Nancy as far away as possible.”

1987 Craig Eaton writes, “I got married to Alex in 2008. She is from Sao Paulo, Brazil but speaks fluent Spanish as well. Three of her four grandparents were of Spanish descent (mostly from Basque region). We have a 2-year-old, Christopher, and a 7-week-old, John. Both will be bilingual (English and Portuguese), and after this we will teach them Spanish.”

1988

1994

J.D. Sawyer has started an aquaponics business in Denver. His work is quite fascinating as he grows lettuce and some other vegetables which are fertilized by water that has fish living in it. The lettuce is sold to local restaurants as are the fish. J.D. has turned into a leading authority in the field. He is also doing a lot of consulting, teaching classes in aquaponics and hydroponics, and has partnerships with several Colorado universities.

Amy (Hall) Casey, her husband Tom and their son, Tommy, welcomed Gavin Patrick Casey into their family on 5/10/12.

20th Reunion 1992 Heather (Tobin) Abrams writes, “I am enjoying life with my husband and very active 2-1/2-year-old son, Tyler! I’m working full time as the director of the Tenancy Preservation Program for Eliot Community Human Services. In my capacity, I oversee a program that consults with the Northeast Housing Court on behalf of tenants facing eviction who have mental health disabilities. My work is challenging and often sad, but we are able to successfully help many families and individuals stabilize precious housing, without which they would likely be homeless. I am eager to catch up with old friends and classmates at the reunion!”

1995 Jay Badger writes, “I am pleased to announce my engagement to Karen McCaslin of Maine. I am currently working as an air traffic controller at the Portland International Jetport. I have also started a brand new business manufacturing Stache Bomb ’stache wax. Kelley (Henry) Kresser and her husband Erich welcomed Chase into their family in November of 2011.

1996 Stuart Townsend had a short video featured at the “Circle of Films” Festival at the University of Southern Maine’s Abromson Center on May 23. Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, who sponsored the festival, asked each of the directors to write and produce a story that included how the clothing and other items that are given a second life through Goodwill’s retail stores make possible nearly all of what Goodwill accomplishes behind the scenes.

Class of 1992: Front row L-R: Bonnie Falk Donohue, Althea Anagnostopoulos Harrington, Mimi Bell Rainford, Dave Rabinow, Back row L–R: Christina Manzo, Corinna Knepper Troth, Elise Watson, Tara Weiske Costello, Jeff Leahey, Adrian Murray, Jessica Rowse Moran, Heather Tobin Abrams, Rob Moran, Stacy Clark, Chris Smith-Peterson, and Jason Rakip

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Matt Boger ’92, wife Lindsay, daughter Addison, age 6, and son Penn, age 3

1997 Lindsey Moran Dempsey and Peter welcomed their baby, Jack, into the world on April 2, 2012. Nache Duncan writes, “I am so happy to be officially a Michigan Education Association UniServ Director. I accepted a permanent position in Berrien Springs, Michigan last spring!”

1998 JD Berry is living in Australia, where he has been working for a “smart” grid company, EnerNOC, for almost four years. He writes, “I’m trying to learn to surf, see as much of the country as I can, soak in some rays, and drink some good Aussie wine inbetween working.” Rhianna Cohen sent this update: “My excellent adventure so far ... Well, I interviewed for a job at Opko Pharmaceuticals toward the end of October, and within two weeks of my interview learned I had three weeks to wrap up my project at my previous job, pack up my apartment, and move to Florida. So the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I hopped in my car with my dog and headed for our first stop in Philadelphia. After spending two days and Thanksgiving at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, with Tom’s sister and her husband, I finally made it to Florida by 11:00 p.m. on Friday. Monday morning at 9 a.m., I started my new job. There is nothing like a rushed move to throw your world upside down!... I ran the Disney Marathon Relay at the beginning of January, have started to get into the swing of a new

job developing diagnostic tests to catch diseases like Alzheimer’s well before any symptoms set in, and Tom and I are doing well. He is still getting used to having a woman in the house, but I think he enjoys the fact that I cook for him. :) I have dragged him to a Bruins game. My company is super close to the Marlins’ and Cardinals’ spring training facility, so we already have our tickets for when the Red Sox are in town. And hopefully we will be heading back up north for the reunion this year, but things are up in the air. “Florida living is interesting. I have been here two months and the only time I have gone to the beach was the day after I arrived—to take the photo for our Christmas card. It was our dogs dressed like Santa and reindeer, and a horrible, horrible idea. It is hot and there are palm trees everywhere, but it is very touristy... It is been nice and laid back, but hot. I never thought I would complain about the heat when it was supposed to be snowing! But there is something awesome about sitting at a waterside tiki bar, enjoying happy hour after a long day at work. When the news signs off in the morning, their line is, ‘Enjoy paradise!’ Ah, if only I did not have to work. “So yeah, I wish things were more exciting than that, but they are really not. I am thinking of doing everything [in our sandy backyard] as green as possible: rain catchers, compatible plants, all that good stuff, and maybe some flowers to brighten the place up. That being said, I miss living up north—

mostly the people and everything familiar. Once my vacation days kick in, we will head up there. I still have to grab a bunch of stuff to bring back to Florida, so multiple trips are necessary.” Brad Hornbake is engaged to Anna Bower. Betsy Colvin Johnson, husband Dennis, and their three children welcomed Amelia Ann Johnson (Millie) to the family on July 2! Arisha Dmitriyeva Raeva and her husband Max Raev welcomed Victoria M. Raeva into the world on February 22, 2012. She weighed 7.4 lbs and was 50 cm long. “We are very excited to have Victoria join our family.”

Little Victoria Raeva and mom Arisha Dmitriyeva Raeva ’98

Sasha Weigel writes, “Absolute dream come true! I got a job working as a nurse on the mother-baby unit of NYU Medical Center!”

1999 Shannon Menard Baxevanis and her husband Dean have a baby boy, Luca Maxime Baxevanis, born on August 3, 2011. They purchased a house in Groton. Dean will be moving from work in the public sector to work in the private sector for a company that is a competitor of Raytheon, doing satellite work. They are very excited to be in Groton. Tate Bevis and Andrea welcomed Rhett Hamilton Bevis into their family on March 16, 2012.

Rhett Hamilton Bevis

Find us on Facebook Class of 1997: Laura Cataldo Beckler, Lindsay Moran Dempsey, Sumner Rollins Reed, Meg Ryle, Catie Floyd McMenamin, Zeljko Ivkovic, Marissa Henderson, and Dan Beauchemin

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

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alumni ClassNotes Timothy Chamberlain We received the following article about Tim, who is making a name for himself as a cartoonist:

Susannah Patsy Leigh Houston, 6 lbs, 1 oz, 20 in., and Elizabeth Nadia Kay Houston, 8 lbs, 2 oz, 20.5 in.

“When you work in a comic-book store, you hear a lot of weird stuff, thanks to the genre’s notoriously dorky followers. At least that’s what budding Watertown cartoonist Tim Chamberlain, 31, concluded when he got a job at a neighborhood comic shop in 2008 after attending the Maine College of Art. Looking for a way to capture the bizarre subculture, Chamberlain began illustrating comments he overheard while working. Chamberlain kept his work to himself until his brother, a comedian in New York, convinced him to post the cartoons online. Under the screen name Mr. Tim, he launched the blog Our Valued Customers in 2009. With a mention on the Comics Alliance website, his traffic soon hit 75,000 daily visits. Despite his success, though, Chamberlain stayed anonymous. ‘People who come into the comic shop are weird enough as it is without taunting,’ he says.

Missy Baum Richard Melissa and John welcomed Ava May into their family on May 20, 2012. She weighed 7 lbs, 4 oz and was 21.5 in. long.

On July 3, Chamberlain and his online persona will unite when the book version of his work, Our Valued Customers: Conversations from the Comic Book Store, hits shelves. To promote it, the artist will attend conventions in Baltimore, New York, and Portland, Maine, this fall.

2000 Leya Tesmenitsky married Michael Parks on October 10, 2010, at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens in Buffalo, New York. Alexander Magnin ’03, Andrew Lurvey ’03, Andrew Straub ’05, Ryan Ansin ’05, and Nick Stancato ’03

These days, Chamberlain, whose work appears regularly in The Weekly Dig, finds inspiration everywhere—from flea markets to conventions to lines at the movie theater. He’s always armed with a notebook and pen, waiting for a zinger. He says his work ‘is about regular folks, not just the heavyset guy in the soup-stained Little Orphan Annie T-shirt. It’s something everyone can laugh at.’” Jamie Hamilton Higgins and her husband Joe had a baby boy, Dezmond, in January. They then bought a house in Park Hill, Colorado, in the spring.

10th Reunion 2002 Tessa Brickley and Tom Weaver married in August 2012. Brendan Davis married Katie Cavalieri in August 2011. Stef Middleton Marcoux and her husband Jeffrey welcomed Juliet Bay into their family on July 3, 2012, at 9:18 p.m. She weighed 7 lbs, 13 oz and was 20.5 in. long. Mike Ryan graduated from Providence College in 2006 and is working as a firefighter for the city of Lowell.

Deborah Siller Houston writes, [Bill and I] welcomed two beautiful girls into the world:

Leya Parks (Tesmenitsky ‘00) and husband Michael Parks

Class of 2002: Front row L-R: Paul Case, Henry Chen, Talia Rosenblum, Tessa Brickley, Back row L-R: Mike Ryan, Kristin Achtmeyer, Steph Middleton Marcoux, Liz Friel, Lindsay Murdock, Sarah Klopfer, Tom Weaver, and Nina Sheff

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

Tom Brescia is beginning a job hunt in international relations, or possibly an internship in international law to help him make up his mind regarding pursuing a degree in that field. He is involved in a year-long Peace Corps program in Iowa, where he has been working on neighborhood revitalization, painting houses, and doing general maintenance on low-income and elderly families’ houses. The next phase of the project will be a volunteer tax assistance program, where he will train to help with a free tax service for those who cannot afford it. Kim (McManus ’05) Bourque and husband Chris Bourque with baby Kingston Ray Bourque.

2005 Kim McManus Bourque and Chris welcomed Kingston Ray Bourque into the world on May 2, 2012. Kim writes; “He was born in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where my husband was playing professional hockey for the Washington Capitals organization. Recently traded to the Boston Bruins, so we are so happy to be staying in Boston!”

2007 Courtney Blanch performed in “Bye Bye Birdie” with the Reagle Players in Waltham, Massachusetts, this past July.

Geena Prough graduated from the University of Wisconsin in May 2012 with a BA in History. During her time at Wisconsin, she won a NCAA National Championship in hockey during the 20102011 season. After graduation, she began working with Altria Group and Distribution Company as a territory sales manager. Nina Serach and her fiancé Jeff Lauer are traveling to France this summer.

2009 Logan Gillis is playing for the Nashua Silver Knights of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. Bernie Leed is starting his senior year at the University of Southern California. He continues to host shows through the university’s television station and will be working as an editor for the Daily Trojan. Rosa Valentin was one of the student speakers at Pike School’s graduation this year in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Merrimack Valley Program.

2011 Marcus Grant Boston College announced that Marcus, a two-time Herald All-Scholastic wide receiver who has transferred to B.C. from Iowa, was part of its 16-man recruiting class. Marcus will be reunited with former high school teammate, lineman Max Ricci. Shabazz Napier, who was at Lawrence for two years, is playing for the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team.

2008 Amanda Sibley is working in Cambridge at HubSpot, right on First Street near the Galleria, on their paid marketing/ advertising team.

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Nina Serach ’07 and fiancé Jeff Lauer at Versailles and (right) Eiffel Tower

Class of 2007: L-R Stuart Davis, Clare Curran, Lauren Browzowski, Eddy Kim, Daphne McWilliams, Blake Scholefield, Maritza Menjivar, Nina Serach, and Ben Burkholz

ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

alumni 1942 We have received word of the passing of Clark R. Taylor. No further details have been given.

In Memoriam Past Faculty and Staff We have received news of the passing of John Heron, past staff. Longtime Lawrence science teacher Donald W. Morse passed away on May 31 at the age of 85. One of the most popular and beloved faculty members during his more Don Morse in 1975 than twenty-year LA career, Don was known for his kind way with students, who enjoyed his puckish sense of humor as much as his colleagues did. In addition to teaching chemistry and chairing the science department, he also coached lacrosse and served as athletic trainer. Don was instrumental in the creation of the Drug Committee, forerunner of today’s Intervention Team. Don and his wife Martha were married for 62 years, moving to the family homestead in Unity, N.H., when he left Lawrence in 1975. Note: Joe Sheppard will pay tribute to Don Morse in a fall “Shep’s Place” at www.lacademy.edu

1941 Peter S. Yozell died on January 22, 2012. He was founder and CEO of Yozell Associates, an employee benefits firm in Boston. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jeanne (Wolf ); by his children Emily Yozell and Enrique Pucci of Costa Rica, John and Abby Yozell of Dedham, Mass., James Yozell and Nivia Freitas of Brazil, and Sally Yozell and David Anderson of Washington, D.C.; his grandchildren Esme, Peter, and Niko Yozell, Pablo and Giovanna Pucci; and his nephew Stuart Lesses of Lynn. Peter will be remembered for his warm and mischievous smile, his tremendous sense of humor, his generosity, and his love of life. In remembrance donations may be made to the Gifford School, 177 Boston Post Road, Weston, Mass. 02493 and the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, 161 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston Mass. 02115.

1944 Louis Bianchi, 85, of Reading, Mass., died peacefully surrounded by his loving family on March 5, 2012. Born in Medford to the late Salvatore and Columba Bianchi of Italy, he was the devoted husband of Ann Bianchi (Borriello). Louis was the loving father of Steven Bianchi ’67 and his wife Michelle of Millis, Brian Bianchi of Charlestown, and Lisa Bianchi of Reading. He was the brother of Ralph Bianchi ’47 and his wife Irma of N.H., the late Phyllis Lange (Bianchi), and Guy Bianchi. He was also the proud grandfather of Tara, Robin, Kristin, and Brian Joseph. Louis was the former founder and co-owner of House of Bianchi of Boston Bridal Wear and a U.S. Navy WWII Veteran. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Louis’s memory to Middlesex East, Visiting Nurse Hospice, 607 North Ave #17, Wakefield, Mass. 01880. Thomas W. Caless Jr. of College Park, Md., died on Monday, December 10, 2007. He leaves his wife, Wilma H. Caless, and his children, Shelley Caless, Thomas (Tommy), and Jonathan R. Caless (Lorie). He was the brother of Dorothy Caless of Sarasota, Fla.; grandfather of Joseph Thomas, Joshua (Sara), Rachel, and Tamara Caless; and great-grandfather of Adam and Cayden Caless. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the University United Methodist Church, College Park, Md. Stanley N. Silbert, 84, of Sherman Oaks, Calif., formerly of Cambridge, Mass., died on February 9, 2012. Stan was born in 1927 in Chelsea, Mass., to Shirley (Roth) and Harry Silbert, M.D. He grew up in Salem, Mass., and attended Salem High School before entering Lawrence, where he was a standout athlete. After serving his country in the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II, he graduated with honors from Harvard College ’48 and Harvard Business School ’55. He rose through the corporate ranks, ultimately becoming Financial Vice President for Suburban Ostomy, Inc., a wholesale pharmaceutical supply company. At the age of 62, he retired to enjoy his life in the heart of Cambridge. Stan loved music, particularly big band jazz, and was a regular at the local clubs. He was the beloved and devoted father ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

of Matthew Silbert and his wife Kathleen Curry of North Hollywood, Calif., Stephen Silbert and his wife Jennifer Percy of Salem, Mass., and Tony Silbert and his wife Leah of Woodland Hills, Calif. He was the loving brother of the late Janis Weiss; brother-inlaw of Edward Weiss of Cresskill, N.J.; cherished grandfather of Stella and Bram Silbert of Woodland Hills, Calif.; dear uncle of Peter and Judi Weiss; and valued exhusband of Muriel Levy of Palm Coast, Fla.

1945 Herbert B. Geist, 84, passed away suddenly on Friday, January 6, 2012, at the Medical Center of the Rockies, in Loveland, Colo. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; three children, Jeffrey Geist of Avondale, Pa., Karen Holm of Media, Pa., Kathryn Wickham of Baltimore, Md.; and eight grandchildren. Herb graduated from Lawrence at the age of 17 and enlisted in the Merchant Marines, serving in the Pacific Theater. In 1951, he graduated from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics. In 1961, he founded Forms & Systems Co., retiring from there in 1994.

1947 G. Lawrence Moison II, 82, died on February 9, 2012. He was born April 2, 1929, in Groton, Mass., to G. Cedric and Laura (Hall) Moison. After graduating from Lawrence, he attended Cornell University and received his degree from Boston University in 1953. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force via the ROTC and was stationed at Travis Air Force Base in California from 1953 to 1955. In 1955, he joined the Oakland, Calif., Agency of the Connecticut Mutual Life (CML) Insurance Company as a sales representative. In 1961, he was appointed to serve as the general agent of CML’s agency in San Diego. He then became general agent of CML’s Washington, D.C., agency, where he served until retiring at age 61. Following his retirement, he earned his MBA and began his third and favorite career as an adjunct professor of business and marketing at Shepherd College in Shepherdstown, W.Va. Larry was actively involved in civic and political affairs in Loudoun County, his home for 38 years, serving on several county elected and volunteer boards. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Jacqueline Ewing Moison of Leesburg, and four children. He also leaves his sister, Jeanne Tate of New London, N.H., ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

1948

1954

Thomas E. Rogers, 82, former resident of Ridgewood, Ho-Ho-Kus, and upper Saddle River, N.J., died February 29, 2012, in Chester, Vt. Tom attended Ridgewood Elementary School prior to entering Lawrence, where he was active in sports. He graduated from the University of Vermont in 1954 and attended Columbia University and the University of Virginia. He was an executive with Nopco Chemical, Diamond Shamrock Chemical Co. and Henkel, Pilot Plant and International divisions, traveling to South America, Mexico, Taiwan, and Australia to set up new chemical plants and new processes and to troubleshoot existing procedures in the production of industrial chemicals. He was a member of the American Chemical Society, NRA, and the International Guild of Miniature Artists. In 1987, he and his wife, Faith Ellen, took an early retirement, purchased property in Vermont, and moved north to design and build a home. In addition to his wife of 55 years, Tom is survived by a son, Gregory Thomas of Chester; a daughter, Lisa Mecray Rogers ’82 of Ridgewood, N.J.; and a brother, Raymond F. Rogers ’55 of Boynton Beach, Fla.

Woodrow H. Hawbecker, 76, of Hagerstown, Md., passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011, at the Meritus Medical Center near Hagerstown. Born July 30, 1935, in Hagerstown, he was the son of the late Woodrow David and Frances Mae (Rupp) Hawbecker. Woodrow was a veteran of the U.S. Army. After Lawrence, he graduated from American University, Washington, D.C. He was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Hagerstown, where he served on the church council. He was a past president of the Chamber of Commerce and held memberships at the Goodwill Board, Kaplan University, Funk House Foundation, Fountain Head Country Club, Elks, and the Assembly Club. His hobbies included golfing and reading. He had retired as a manager for B.F. Goodrich and had previously worked for H&R Block. Woodrow is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Judith (Dysert) Hawbecker; a daughter, Jody Dysert Hardel, and husband, Barton Kendall, of King of Prussia, Pa.; a son, David Dysert Hawbecker of Hagerstown; and a grandson, Jacob Kendall Hardel.

James F. Terry, 80, died peacefully at home in Bartlett, N.H., on June 30, 2011. Jim was born on August 19, 1930, in South Weymouth, Mass., son of James F. Terry and Mary Alice Tracy Terry. After graduating from Boston Latin School in 1947, he entered Lawrence for one year, graduating in 1948 before entering Harvard College and Harvard Business School. After serving two years in Germany as a special agent, Counterintelligence Corps, Department of the Army, he joined the Ford Motor Company in 1957, working in various sales and marketing management positions until his retirement in 1990. Survivors include his beloved wife of 57 years, Patricia; his children, Margaret Terry of Hollis, N.H., James F. Terry of Conway, N.H., George H. Terry of Lake Forest, Ill., Michael G. Terry of Louisville, Ky., and Daniel P. Terry of Gray, Maine; their spouses; twelve loving grandchildren; and Jim’s sister, Lois Florio, Cape Cod, Mass.. Jim was predeceased by his daughter Colleen in 1969. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in his remembrance to Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care and Services of Northern Carroll County, PO Box 432, North Conway, N.H., 03860.

International School (1991-2007), and Saigon South International School (2007-2012). Over his 16-year tenure at NIS, he oversaw its growth from an enrollment of 400 to more than 1700 students. Mike was an avid golfer, as well as the person behind the NIS Scholarship Golf Tournament and, of course, a dedicated supporter of the Walkathon, which he saw as a way to involve the international community in helping our local community. For the last five years, Mike was Headmaster of The Saigon South International School in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where he had already doubled enrollment. Mike leaves his wife, Marjon; brother, Jeffrey Barton ’73; and many other family members and friends.

1972 George L. Kokinos, 58, of Boca Raton, Fla., passed away on March 27, 2012. George was born in Lowell, Mass., on January 4, 1954. He is survived by his brothers, Charles Kokinos of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Peter Kokinos of Boca Raton, Fla., and nieces Kristen Kokinos of Miami Beach, Fla., and Jillian Kokinos.

1962

1984

Bruce D. Heck, 67, of New Bern, N.C., died at his home on March 17, 2012, after a long illness. After graduation from Lawrence and from Parsons College, he served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, with the U.S. Army, American Division, 6th Battalion, 11th Artillery, Battery C. He received an MBA from Babson College and worked as an insurance and investment broker. Bruce was predeceased by his parents, Chester and Estelle Heck, longtime residents of Groton, and by his wife, Linda. He is survived by his sister, Faith Gardner of Newmarket, N.H.; his son, Matthew Heck of Oakland, Calif.; his son, Andrew Heck of Bellingham, Mass.; his daughter, Amanda Heck of Columbia, Miss.; his grandson, Cameron Heck; and several nieces and nephews.

Livingston R. Webb, 47, of Los Angeles, Calif., passed away on October 25, 2011. He was an artist, poet, musician, and independent filmmaker—a gentle giant with a big heart, a keen wit, and an unquenchable interest in world events. Liv divided his time between Los Angeles, where he made his home while pursuing his love of the arts, and Washington, D.C., where he was raised and his family and many friends remained. In both cities, he was a great advocate for the artists he encountered: painters, musicians, filmmakers, and actors. Liv was the youngest son of long-time Washington, D.C. residents Lt. Col. Charles Webb, Jr. and Lucy Hoffman Webb, both deceased. After graduation from Lawrence, he attended the Rhode Island School of Design. Liv is survived by his brother, Charles Hoffman Webb; his sister, Elaine Leta Moseley; four nieces; and two nephews, all of whom live in the Philadelphia area. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, Attn: Chief Advancement Officer, 1025 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington, D.C. 20017, www.milarch.org/ donate (“Comments”: “In Honor of Livingston Webb” or “In Loving Memory of Livingston Webb” or your preference).

1969 Charles S. “Mike” Barton Jr., 61, of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, died on April 23, 2012, with his wife Marjon at his side. A graduate of Boston College and Harvard University, Mike had a long career in international schools, including the American School of Tangier (1975-1982), Rabat American School (1982-1989), International School of Kuala Lumpur (1989-1991), Nagoya ACADEMY JOURNAL / FALL 2012

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Save the Dates! Gagné Winterim Classic Golf Tournament – October 1, 2012 Business Career Night – November 1, 2012 Boston Business Breakfast – November 15, 2012 Spring Fundraiser – May 4, 2013 Reunion Weekend – June 7–9, 2013

Academy Journal, Fall 2012

Articles inside

Classnotes

REUNION WEEKEND 35

Reunion Weekend

Gatherings

COMMENCEMENT 28

The Spartan Report

Holding Up the Mirror Lawrence Academy ’ s 2012 NEASC Reaccreditation

LA at a Glance

Auction Celebrates The Art of Teaching

Moving On and Around

Thanks to Our “Bridge to Success ” Donors

Moving In

“I Learned it Better This Way!”

A Sense of Learning

Nooks and Crannies Exposed

The “Weird Kid” Leaves ’ em Laughing!

The Flipped Classroom A Student-Centered State of Mind

Dana B. Westberg ’72 Teaching Different Learners

Learning in the Outdoors

Reflections of a Rookie Special Educator